


True Blue

by Demidevil



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Freeform, I try to keep gore vague, I'm trying not to deviate too far from canon, Junkrat is like the son Roadhog never wanted, Mild Gore, Minor Violence, More like father/son dynamic, Origin Story, PTSD, Swearing, Young Junkrat, angst sometimes, hints - Freeform, some OCs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-07-15 20:09:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 70,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7236667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demidevil/pseuds/Demidevil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just my take on Junkrat growing up after the Omnium was destroyed. This story starts with Jamie as a kid, how he grew up and survived the harsh wastelands of the Outback. From when he met Roadhog to their international crime spree and all the way back to the place that they had first escaped. This story is long and serious with some comedy spread throughout. I'm trying to keep a balance of original ideas and what we know as canon, of course things have changed since I first started this and so this story is always evolving. I estimate it will probably be around 30 chapters, maybe a little smaller. I update as regularly as I can but they are not always consistent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter. Young Jamison 'Jamie' Fawkes discovered by another Junker who's none to pleased with him.

"Maybe try the old solar farm?" A gruff yet feminine voice cut through the lingering dark of their camp. Three figures illuminated by the dying fire, cold caressing their backs and warmth licking at their front. Everyone assumed the Outback was nothing but endless heat, yet when the sun went down and the sky was clear, it was near cold in comparison at night. 

"Don't know if there'd be much there. Raiders would've ransacked the fucking place already, we'd be lucky to get a tin of beans."

"Fucking optimistic bunch we are. Man I could go for a beer and a cig right about now."

"Yeah right back at ya mate."

"Look. There's nothin' else out here. We're fucking miles from the arse end of nowhere, it wouldn't hurt to just check it out. One man's junk is another man's treasure."

"We ain't doin' that Skip so settle down."

'Fine. I'll go myself. You lot are a bunch of fucking pansies." The woman known as Skip stood, feeling the heat leave her face as she picked up the heavy sledge hammer that had been balanced on its head in the red dirt. "I'll have a quick look around, if I'm not back by mornin' just move on without me. I'm probably pushing daisies by then."

The group muttered their support but no one really stood to stop her. Hefting her weapon over her shoulder, Skip toed her steel capped boots on and headed off east into the night. She knew these farmlands like the back of her hand, each rock and sparse tree may seem the same to some but to her they were landmarks. She had once grown up here, a kid when the Omnics were first introduced and their placement in the Outback had been rocked. She had cried for days back then, losing her home, but no one really left, they became vengeful and spiteful and she had lost her parents when she was only seventeen. Out here you either adapted or you died, and Skip was definitely not planning to be cold and rotting any time soon. 

The house was a dark blot in the night, the land around it eerily quiet as she hopped yet another barbed wire fence. It may have stopped cattle once upon a time but it was very little defence against the Raiders of this harsh land. The small shack was nothing to get too excited about, in fact Skip was sure she remembered this place, probably neighbours of her family's property, what was left of it wasn't too far from here. Frowning at the thought she scuffed her boot on a nearby tire, the sound of scrap and junk jingling within its opened innards. She stepped up onto the patio, the sound hollow and almost foreboding as she took in the state of disrepair. The shingles worn and discoloured, the door propped closed on a weird angle, the windows beaten and smashed beyond recognition. Lord only knew who had torn through the place but Skip knew for a fact that there would probably be nothing left. 

A torch flicked on, it's beam dull and low on battery, she was going to need it inside, no bright full moon to lead her way tonight. Pushing the door aside, propping it up so it didn't fall over she pushed inside, her boots loud on the old floorboards, the sound of scuffling could be heard. Skip didn't think anything of it, there were plenty of creatures that still tried to seek shelter, what were once magnificent animals were nothing but twisted vicious beasts now. Like humans, they too were afraid of the Omnic. 

"Man this place went to shit real quick." She muttered her accent strong in the dark as her torch light flicked over the dust settled surfaces. There were streaks in the grime, on the table tops and floors, enough to cause Skip to frown, her hand reaching for her massive hammer. There was a feeling in the place, as if it was lived in as if everything that was covered in dust had intentionally been left that way, to let others think that no one lived here. Skip was smarter than that though, not that her wits were about her in any sense but one definitely learned from their past mistakes. She hefted the sledge off of her shoulder, holding it tight in her right hand as she scanned the torch around the place. 

"Fire in the hole!"

"What the fuck?!" A Bunga exploded at her feet causing her to jump back with a startled yelp her sledge dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. She remembered playing with these as a kid. "Alright come out and let's do this proper. No fucking hiding in shadows to King hit me when I least expect it."

"Do ya really think I'm that stupid?" The voice replied, young, if the giggling response was anything to go by. 

"Well I was hoping." Skip let her fingers curl back around the sledge's handle as she propped it on her shoulder once again. At least she was right about this place, there had to be some shit left over if this little brat had been able to live here. "Alright come out and I won't have to hurt ya."

"Oh you'll be the one hurtin'." Another small explosion popped near Skip's feet, this time her grey eyes had seen the small spark of a lighter and where the little Bunga had come from. Striding over there, she leant over the table, her hand grasping the first thing she felt and yanking it up and over the toppled wood. 

"Well I was right, you are a brat." The young boy was grasped by his tattered shirt, his thin long limbs flaring wildly as he tried to swipe at her hold. 

"Hey le'go!"

"Wait a minute, I know you!" Skip dropped the young boy and he landed on his arse with a dull thump. His blonde hair was dishevelled, his skin littered with freckles and a few prominent moles, his eyes were jittery and golden, looking everywhere but at her. "You're the Fawkes's kid ain't ya?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I knew it. I travelled with your parents for awhile, you were only a fucking tyke back then. Jamie isn't it? Where are your parents?"

"I don't know. They went out, they never came back. They're probably dead."

"Yeah probably. Sorry to hear about that kid."

"No worries, nothin' I can do about it now." Jamie shrugged as he stood up, his thin frame teetering slightly as he regained his balance. Skip was certain the kid was deranged, he seemed to take the death of his parents fairly well, but she had seen worse reactions in the Outback. 

"Alright, grab the good shit and let's get going"

"Who says I'm goin' with you cunt?"

"Watch your fucking mouth! I did, ya can't stay here, just asking to be killed by Raiders if that's the case. Now grab your shit, we'll gather what we can and we'll go." This kid was going to be the death of her, maybe she should just leave him to rot. Although what was left of her conscious said otherwise, her parents would be turning in their grave if they knew she had left the tyke behind. 

"Bloody ridiculous, thinks she's the boss o'me. I'll show her a thing or two, blow somethin' right up I will."

'"I can hear you you twitchy little fuck. Now shut up and let's go." Skip balanced her sledge on her shoulder, she grasped a rucksack she believed to belong to him, he was too busy collecting what she could only identify as junk. Sighing she wrapped her hands around some small amounts of food that he had obviously been surviving on before heading back to the door, whistling at him like a dog to follow. 

"Hey! You might know me but I don't know you. At least let me know the name of my captor yeah?"

"I'm not your captor. Rescuer maybe. I'm Skip."

"Huh?" Jamie struggled to keep up with her.

"That's my name now, Skip."

"Like the bush kangaroo?" Jamie let out a string of giggles, something that was bordering on the insanity scale. "I wouldn't get to close to that tire either."

"What, why not?" She took a small step to the side, eying the tire she had kicked early filled with scrap. 

"'Cause it's rigged ta blow."

"Are you fucking insane? I could've lost my foot earlier!"

"Nah it's only dangerous if ya step of it, I was gonna bury it but haven't been arsed."

"You made that?"

"Well, yeah."

Skip didn't know whether she was impressed or freaked out, probably a concoction of both. She stared at the little scrawny brat, a new found respect bubbling in her chest for him. She felt bad that he was alone, that had been her reason for taking him with her, but now she realised he could be valuable to them. 

"How old are you now Jamie?"

"Thirteen."

"Alright so you're not gonna be useless then."

"What's that suppose ta mean?"

"You're old enough to take orders and fucking know when to keep ya mouth shut."

"I'll be on me best behaviour."

Skip eyed him warily, he sounded sincere but one could never be too sure, he did seem to be a little erratic. She doesn't remember Jamie being unstable as a child, that had been ten years ago of course and things might not of been noticeable then. His parents had never said anything to her about their son, whether that was because they didn't trust her was entirely possible. Sighing Skip used her sledge hammer to lower the barbed wire, waiting for Jamie to scramble over it, his pants getting torn slightly. Watching him swear under his breath made her realise that this might not of been a good idea. 

"So you make booby traps?"

"Well yeah, ones that explode tend to be the most fun but I've trapped a Raider or two in a bear trap. Listenin' to them scream is hilarious."

Skips steps faltered her eyes wide as she kicked some loose rocks beneath her steel capped boots. Jamie was beginning to seem more unstable by the passing minute. She eyed the heap of junk in his arms; metal, screws and some containers sloshed with unknown liquids. 

"Is that stuff to make your bombs?"

"Too right! I'd be useless without 'em. I'm actually tryin' to figure out a launcher of some kind. Would be much better if I could get them further than my throwing arm if ya know what I mean."

"Somehow I feel like I do." Skip slowed, eyed her surroundings, checked for rocks and trees before she changed their direction just slightly to the west a little more, somehow she had lost her bearings briefly. "There are others."

"What the 'ell you on about?" 

"My..." Team, colleagues, friends? "We're Junkers. There's more than just me. Two more guys. I don't think you'll like them."

"Well whoop-de-doo. I look forward to that meeting."

"Don't be a smart arse."

"Can't help it mate." Jamie juggled the load in his arms, the clinking of metal and the sloshing of liquid making Skip nervous. She didn't think the thirteen year old was any real danger, she just knew that when people were kids they did some stupid shit and that was what she was worried about. 

She was right though, the others in her team. They didn't like him


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the infamous Jamison Fawkes became known as Junkrat.

Skip had every right to be nervous around the young Jamie Fawkes, the kid was a fucking problem waiting to happen. Of course he didn’t get along with the other two Junkers, Baz being a complete prick about the entire situation and Drew was indifferent, just another person for him to take care of. To say they warmed up to Jamie would have been a blatant lie, they saw him as a nuisance, as a statistical error that was just going to get them killed one day. Although Skip felt something like fondness for him, she never really worded it, it wasn’t what they did in the Outback, no one wore their emotions on their sleeves. 

She watched the little bastard, he was sitting in the dirt, leaning over something spread between his legs and muttering to himself in hushed tones. From what Skip could see it was a pile of junk and chemicals, she knew better though, a couple of months with Jamie and she knew that he was working on an explosive of some kind. He had come in use, his bombs and traps were a good deterrent for enemies and other Junkers, his manic behaviour also seemed to drive away the more sane people they had come across as well. One thing Skip had realised was that he hated the Omnics with a passion.

She had bare witness to him practically snarling at a half crushed machine they had found in the red dirt a few kilometres away. He had sworn and sneered at it, pulling parts off the dying Omnic and scavenging it for scrap like it wasn’t pleading for him to stop. Skip had put an end to its whirring complaints when her sledge hammer had crushed the delicate head casing. Jamie had been in a foul mood after that, more jittery than normal, chatting away to himself about the filthy state of all machines. She doesn’t think he was old enough to remember the crisis, the fusion core melting or what the world had been like before. What it was now, a radiated soaked wasteland had definitely left its mark on him.

Skip moved to sit by the fire, she could still see Jamie in her peripheral as she sat down beside Baz who grumbled in response to her absent behaviour. She shrugged off the thought, leaning closer and turning whatever the fuck they had managed to catch on the makeshift spit so it would cook evenly. She worried about her team, even though this life had hardened her interior and exterior, she knew that each one of these blokes had her back and she was willing to return the favour. That’s what Junkers did, they trusted no one, they looked out for themselves, but they knew that company and safety came in numbers. Many groups had formed like their little band, sharing what scrap they gathered and hunting to stay alive, others formed much larger colonies and that was when they became dangerous. Junkertown wasn’t exactly the safest place in Australia and Skip would rather slice off her nipples before having to live under the town’s rules. 

“Why’d you bring him here?” Baz’s voice caught her attention, Skip leaning back and taking the cup that was offered to her. It looked like piss to be fair, some form of moonshine of course but there was a large chance it would taste like piss too.

“Couldn’t leave him all alone now could I?”

“I would have.”

“Yeah I know.” Skip took a sip, yep definitely tasted like piss. “That’s why no one fucking likes you, you grizzled old cunt.”

“Oi! Fuckin’ bitch I’ll-“

“Knock it off would ya! I’m too fucking old to be dealing with this shit.” Drew complained from the other side of the fire. “Besides, she brought back the little rat and there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

“Typical woman. Sees a kid cryin’ and just has to go and run to it for comfort. Next thing ya know you’ll be popping out babies left right an’ centre.” Baz chuckled behind the rim of his cup.

“Fuck you Baz. I feel like you might need some reeducation, can’t just pop ‘em out by myself.”

“Oh I’ll help you in that regard Sheila.”

“Touch me and I’ll chop your cock off.”

“Shut it!” Drew snarled, his hand reaching for the rifle that lay propped against a rock beside him, his eyes boring holes into the other two as if urging them to start again. “I will shoot you both.”

There was a small pop followed by a sizzle, a curse muttered into the night as they watched Jamie finally stretch and stand from where he had been working for the past hour. The boy packed up his stuff messily, writing something on the back of his hand before he kicked his pile of supplies towards his bed role. Jamie could feel the tense atmosphere by the fire and anxiety licked at his brain knowing that they had been talking about him, as if he hadn’t been mere metres away. Grumbling under his breath as a tremor ran through him, Jamie moved to settle in beside the fire, leaning close and plucking flesh of the cooking animal and popping it into his mouth. 

Skip gave him a dirty look but otherwise said nothing, she didn’t want to appear as the mother figure of the group, and sometimes around Jamie she forgot that. He flashed her a smile of slightly pointed canines as he licked his fingers and settled into the red dirt beside her. He wanted to open his mouth, wanted to tell her about the compound he had been working on and how it was going to be much more stable than the last. Yet the atmosphere weighed down on him, it pressed into his scrawny shoulders and forced him into silence, smothered him with its awkward taste and subtle thoughts about how this was all his fault. He could see Baz staring at him from across the darkness, a sneer on his grizzled and scarred face, Jamie gave him the finger.

“Fucking little brat!” 

“Do not start Baz!” Drew warned before moving to cut some of the meat from the spit and skewering it on the end of his knife. 

They ate in a tense silence, Jamie receiving the least amount of food followed by Skip, the animal hadn’t been very big, but it was enough to have them comfortable for a couple of days. They had dried and cured some of the meat whilst the rest had been propped above the fire to slowly charcoal and burn it to a crisp in the hopes that the excess radiation wouldn't poison their guts. What had once been beautiful and exotic wildlife within Australia, especially the Outback had become nothing more than mutated vicious creatures that sometimes didn’t even resemble what they had once been. Jamie had seen a Roo once and was shocked to see the wicked tusks and claws that accompanied decaying skin, the Dingoes had become much larger and territorial, the worst though had been the lizards. The ones with the frilled necks had became vicious pack hunting carnivores that could strip a body in minutes given enough of them. People had complained about Australia’s animals being deadly before, well they certainly weren’t going to want to try their luck out here now.

Jamie frowned, taking a swig of water from his canteen that splashed over his bare chest as a tremor shook his body, his lips parted in a small giggle, a crazed sound that had just been itching to break the silence the desert had surrounded them in. Skip jumped back a little surprised by his outburst, it was no shock to them that Jamie wasn’t exactly in his right mind, but over the months she had watched his tremors evolve from slight hand shaking to full body shakes. They seemed to only last for a second or two, they were a lot worse when the young Junker was forced to sit still or was denied participation in some form of raid for materials. The group had learnt from early on that it was much better to have him with them at all times rather than leave him at camp. Baz hadn’t been too happy about procuring another bedroll that one time.

“Jamie. Are you alright?” Skip whispered, her voice actually quite loud in the darkness.

“What? Oh yeah of course I’m alright. Just fidgetin’, just itchin’ to get moving.” Jamie smiled, a rather unnerving smile that was filled with more teeth than necessary, his sharp canines catching the light of the fire. A giggle escaped, shaking his shoulders and causing him to throw his head back in full blown laughter.

“Shut up you little shit! Do you want to bring every fucking thing lurkin’ in the dark to our position?” Baz snarled tossing his cup into the dirt with a dull thud.

“What’s the matter mate? Scared of the things that go bump in the night?” Jamie once more chuckled at his own joke, only falling silent when he saw the reprimanding look Skip had given him.

“Control your fucking pet, Skip before I put him down.” Baz grumbled, grasping his weapon as he stood and headed for his bedroll. “Fucking twitchy little rat.”

“I hate to say this Jamie… but Baz is right.” 

“What?”

Skip watched the hurt flicker over the young boy’s face, nose scrunching up and his freckles becoming more prominent in the light of the fire, most still hidden under red dirt and grime from the days travel. She idly watched as Drew saluted her, moving away from the fire with his own cup of alcohol to take solace somewhere else, she knew having Jamie here was annoying the other two to no end, but there had been no way she could leave him. She watched as his hurt face contorted into more of a scowl, turning his back on her slightly as he grumbled to himself, finger tracing idle patterns in the dirt.

“You can’t make a lot of noise at night. There are far worse things out here than Raiders. We risk a lot with the fire, can’t have you making a ruckus to draw more attention now do we?”

“This is fuckin’ bullshit. You all treat me like I’m a fuckin’ Omnic and then ya expect me to just lay back and take the shit thrown my way? No thanks!”

“Jamie, it’s for your own safety. You need to respect us, especially Drew and Baz.”

“Respects a two way street, you gotta earn that right and so far you’re the only one that I’ll fuckin’ protect.”

“That’s oddly sweet.”

“Yeah well keep talkin’ to me like I’m fuckin’ five and I won’t be on your side for much longer.” Jamie’s eyes were burning with resentment, his body involuntary shook and twitched as he laughed. The sound was quiet, yet a little deranged, as if he was picturing quite a different scenario in his mind than what was being played out.

“Ok. I get it, you’re pissed.”

“Damn right.”

“I won’t treat you like a child, but that means you have to stop acting like one.” Skip placed her hand on his shoulder, placing pressure and causing the boy to face her once more. She couldn’t see him as anything else, that innocent face, those wide eyes, freckles dotting his skin; he was still a child and no matter what he said she couldn’t picture him any differently. Although he was tall for his age, he was still dwarfed by the others, his thin frame still held a little baby fat in a few places and his personality was that of a typical teenager, well one before the crisis of course. Jamie had to either start listening to her or he was going to learn the harsh life in the Outback the hard way. That she didn’t want to see. 

“Fine, but I ain’t happy about this, specially not listening to that prick.” Jamie muttered, head nodding in Baz’s direction before he began to spread some of his stuff around him. Pockets of scrap and metal were emptied onto the ground, small cases of powders and bullets placed gently with care before his crossed legs.

“You gonna build somethin’?”

“Nah.” Jamie picked up the bullet, eying it’s dull metal in the firelight before he dug into another container for something that could only be described as a screwdriver. “Gun powders useful, just gonna get rid of these bullet casings and store the good stuff for later.”

“We could always use bullets.”

“Not these ya can’t. No one has a pistol, these are small and I’ve seen the ammo Drew’s rifle takes and these ain’t gonna fit. Relax will ya? I’m not gonna throw them into the fire… as tempting as that may be.” Jamie chuckled, another tremor going through his body as Skip leant forward and ruffled his hair, his hand quickly swatting her away with a frustrated sound.

“Jamie, you know you twitch a lot right?”

“Yeah… what of it?”

“Nothing, I guess we all get affected differently by the lingering radiation. It’s just that you remind me of a mouse, always moving, always twitching. Oh like those little grass hopper like mice, you’d be so cute!”

“Oi! Knock it off would ya?” Jamie complained as he edged away from Skip’s hand ruffling his hair again, her fingers snagging slightly on his tangled ends. “Not a mouse, I swear I’ll blow ya up if you call me cute one more time.”

“No, no. You’re right. Not a mouse, a little rat. A pesky, filthy junk rat. Eating our food, refusing to keep clean for five minutes, I swear you are so hard to deal with sometimes.”

“Am not!”

“Oh I know. It can be your alias. Like how I’m Skip, you can be Junkrat! Strike fear into the hearts who hear it.”

“Now I know you’re pullin’ me leg.” Jamie giggled along with Skip’s rough laughter. He knew what she was trying to do, an alias was all well and good but she was trying to take the harsh words Baz had mumbled earlier and given it to him like a badge of honour. A name to feel proud of instead of put down by. He wasn’t sure if it was going to work, but then again his mind could barely focus on one task for more than a few minutes now days so maybe he’d come to forget the malice that was behind Rat eventually. He watched as Skip stood, she pet his shoulder slightly before stretching, the dying embers causing her body to silhouette against them.

“Well night Junkrat. You can have first watch. Remember not to stay up too late working on whatever it is you’re doin’ and wake me in about four hours.”

“Yeah, righto. Night Skip.”

He stayed up most of the night. Much to the rest of the teams dismay.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every wonder how Junkrat lost his leg?  
> Well I've seen a lot of different stories and this is my take on it.  
> I wrote this one still half asleep and there was suppose to be more but it was getting too long so I had to cut it down.

“Come on Rat, we’re going hunting.”

“Huntin’? Huntin’ what? There’s nothing out here mate. Unless you like bugs, rocks and _oh_ the occasional tree.”

“Shut up you little shit. There’s been tracks in the dirt around camp, means something is hanging around and we’re going to hunt it and kill it.” Baz rolled his eyes, the large machete he gripped was propped on his shoulder as if trying to make him look more menacing than Junkrat knew he was.

“So if we’re goin’ huntin’ then the only useful one of us is Drew. What do you and Skip plan to do, bludgeon the creature to death? I can’t exactly blow it up, ain’t gonna be much left to snack on. Although, plus side, it’d already be cooked.” Rat giggled, his loud laughter snorting in the back of his throat as Skip thumped him upside the head. He bit his tongue and let out a pained yelp, tasting blood in his mouth. 

“We stick together Jamie.” Skip muttered, grabbing the younger by his bomb harness and practically dragging him towards where the other two were waiting for them. Junkrat didn’t understand why they had to leave camp, they still had some dried meat from that lizard they had caught last week, it would keep them going for a few more days, he didn’t eat much to begin with. The camp was safe, the camp was protected and it had most of his stuff, it was booby trapped too for their protection, he didn’t want to go wandering around in the scorching heat in hopes they’d catch some fucking animal.

Junkrat didn’t hunt, it wasn’t his thing. He protected the camp, he set up traps and if something happened to get caught in one of the toothy contraptions and couldn’t break free then that was a bonus. He didn’t take shots at animals, there was no point in seeing them blow up, it was just a waste to what could have been a good meal. Jamie had also learnt from experience that if you miss and piss off something then there was a large chance the feral beast was going to come after you next. That damned Emu had almost torn his face off when he had been a kid, stupid flightless bird.

Skip had a hold of his harness, dragging him towards the others while he practically hissed and spat at her, letting all of them know about his displeasure in the situation. His hands were shaking as he swatted at his friend, he connected a few times only to have her tug him rather roughly causing him to slip and skid in the red dirt. Man was Skip going to pay for this later. He was writhing and swearing when she suddenly let go, a triumphant smirk on his lips before he felt the cool metal of Baz’s machete against his throat.

“Well fuck me mate, that’s not very nice. Least ya could do is buy me dinner first.”

“Shut up Rat. You’re coming huntin’, we’re not leaving you here alone. We’ve all learnt from that mistake.”

“Oh come on you old bastard, I promise I’ll be on me best behaviour.”

“No.” Drew remarked watching Baz lower his knife as he pushed the stock of his rifle against Junkrat’s back between his skinny shoulder blades. “Keep moving with us and stay near Skip. I ain’t having you fuck up again.”

“Yes sir!” Junkrat saluted with a giggle shaking his shoulders as he fell into line with Skip. “Still don’t see why I’m ‘ere. Want me to blow somethin’ up? No problem be back in a mo’. Want me to hunt a vicious fuckin’ creature? Sure where do I lay the bombs to blow the thing sky high? Won't be nuthin' left ta eat. Makes no fuckin’ sense, bunch of fuckin’ idiots we have ‘ere.”

“Jamie. Safety in numbers. What would you do if we were out huntin' and the creature snuck into camp?” Skip asked making sure there was a fair distance between them and the other two members of their team.

“It’s called self defence. I’d fuck that thing right up that there’d be nothin’ left and then we can continue to eat jerky for a coupla’ days before we then starve ta death. Sound ‘bout right?”

“You’re such a cunt sometimes.”

“Yeah, right back at ya mate.” Junkrat grumbled as he followed Skip up the short incline, loose dirt and rocks sliding beneath his booted feet. His hands clenched into the earth for extra grip as he pulled himself onto the more rocky outcrop with his friend to survey the area. 

Man the Outback was a fucking hole.

It use to be beautiful, or so he was told. Red dirt, small trees, green shrubs littering the harsh land, large rocks jutting from an otherwise flat landscape to create blips and bumps on the horizon. The creatures had been something to behold once upon a time, adaptable to their environment just like the humans who lived here had once been. Cattle farmers, solar ranches, native settlements, they had all once called the Australian Outback home… now, those same people did but they were no longer the humans they were before. Men forgot what they did and only knew how to fight and survive, people became nothing but filthy and sick from the excess radiation that soaked the land to the very bone. Yet they refused to leave. This was their home, as much as it was a shit hole but there was no way they were going to give it up. Almost charming in a way if this place didn’t send almost everyone stark raving mad.

“Man this place fuckin’ looks like a real fixer upper.”

“It use to be beautiful, back in the day. I can remember the bright blue sky contrasting with the deep red dirt, the green of trees, the sunsets that would paint the sky such awesome colours. This place was worth something once.”

“Careful Skip, ya gettin’ a little too mushy for me now. I didn’t really ask for ya life story.”

“No I suppose you didn’t. You were too young to remember before, only the aftermath. I just want to see the stars again ya know?”

“Uh- can’t say that I do.” Jamie followed her gaze to the sky, confused by her words and missing the sad little smile she gave his way. He didn’t really know what he was missing, how could he when he had never experienced it before? He knew Skip felt pity towards him for that, that he hadn’t gotten to experience the country the same way she had, but really he didn’t know any better so how could he miss what he never had in the first place? Junkrat was growing tired of her pity, the looks she would give him, soft sad smiles when she thought he wasn’t paying attention. He always saw though, contrary to popular belief Junkrat was always listening to what was happening around him, he wouldn’t be very good at surviving if he wasn’t.

Both of them froze, they could see Drew and Baz further down the hill scanning the low lying shrubbery for whatever prey they were searching for. Skip keeping a lookout for movement above, she could point them in the right direction, but the movement wasn’t below them, the deep growl was coming from behind them. Skip turned suddenly, her sledge swinging to the ready as she put herself between the beast and Rat’s skinny frame. It was a Dingo, well what they still identified as a Dingo now days. Large reddish coloured wild dogs, elongated front legs giving them a hunch-like form, rows and rows of sharp canines from gaping unaligned jaws.

“Holy shit.” Jamie muttered as the beast lunged for them, Skip’s hammer caught it in its shoulder and it yelped as it lost its footing. She turned grasping his hand and pulling him towards the sheer drop from the rocky precipice, there was hesitation, the both of them judging the distance of the fall. It was enough for the beast’s jaws to clamp down on Junkrat’s right calf.

“Jamie!” 

“Fuck!” The Dingo pulled him down easily, he wasn’t much of a man, a young girl probably weighed more than him. Snarling Junkrat used the heel of his palm to crack the creature in its skull, it shook its head its teeth tearing into his flesh from the movement causing him to cry out in pain. Another strike to the Dingo’s skull by his hand caused it to bite down again, harder and blinding nausea tore through Jamie’s body. He heard the crack, he felt the pain and he became feverish in his attempt to claw and pry those jaws from his leg. 

“Jamie! Fuck me!” Skip’s steel capped boot kicked the creature in its rump the action leading to absolutely nothing. She stepped around it, expert eyes judging the angle, noticing Junkrat’s frantic hands and she had to take the shot. The sledge hammer swung in a low arc, the heavy iron head smashing into the beast’s jaw and curving upwards towards the skull. The Dingo howled before it was silenced by the blow, bones breaking, skull shattering from the impact as it fell lifelessly into the red dirt.

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck!” Junkrat hissed between his teeth, practically pushing Skip away as she tried to approach him, he saw the other two team members scramble up onto the outcropping to see him writhe in pain and misery. “Get the fuck away from me! Jesus fucking Christ!”

“Rat calm the fuck down!” Skip tried to approach him again, offering a rag to him when he didn’t let her come closer.

“Calm down? Calm down! That fucking cunt almost tore my leg off!” Jamie was clenching his teeth, holding back the screams as his hands clutched pathetically to the bloodied cloth that was wrapped around his right leg. He hadn't seen the fucking mutt until it was right on top of him its teeth sinking into his leg and tearing apart flesh and muscle alike. “Fuck me it hurts!”

“Stop your squirming and let me fix ya.” Skip muttered, her face was shocked, tears gathered in her eyes as she listened to Jamie swear beneath his breath. “Oh this is bad Rat.”

“No fuckin' shit.” He growled between his clenched jaw. His hands were covered in blood, most of it was his own, some had come from the mangy mutt when Skip's sledge hammer had collided with its skull. 

“Ah shit. It's bad. You ain't gonna like this Jamie.” Skip looked up to Drew and nodded her head solemnly. 

“I ain't gonna like what?” The butt of Drew's gun collected with his temple and Junkrat slumped over into the red dirt. 

“This is going to be much easier when he's not awake. Hand me your knife would ya Baz?” Skip gripped it between her fingers, her hands shaking slightly at the feel of the jagged blade. “Alright go scavenge for something he can use as a crutch when he comes to.”

“Just leave him to die.”

“I can't do that Baz. He's part of our team. Has been for a couple of years now.”

“He's a kid!”

“A kid that saved your arse more than once. Just fucking hurry up!” Skip swallowed. This wasn't really a fucking surgery, they would be lucky if he didn't get an infection. She wasn't made to do this, sure she had nursed animals a long time ago but those days were behind her, not to mention she didn't exactly have equipment with them. Their medical supplies were really some bandages, a sewing kit and there was some alcohol. 

She propped his leg up, away from the dirt, she wrapped a dirtied cloth around his thigh and pulled it tight, hopefully enough to slow the blood flow. She balanced the machete on his skin, surveying the damage before she brought it to just above his knee instead. Skip cleaned the area with the alcohol before taking a deep calming breath. The old blade cut through flesh, the sound of it tearing beneath the jagged unkept edge would be something she would never forget. 

****

Junkrat woke to severe pain, his leg was throbbing and as his mind pulled from unconsciousness he remembered why. That bloody fucking dingo had tried to fucking eat him! Grumbling, Jamie sat up slowly, the red dirt was clinging to his sweaty skin but his eyes focused on the stump, a bloody, bruised stump where his leg use to be, bandaged half arsed with what looked to be a shirt. He could still feel it with each throbbing pulse of his heart. Rat leant over to the side, emptying what was left of his stomach onto the ground, the noise of him heaving seemed to alert the rest. 

“Jamie! You're awake. How do you feel?” Skip crouched beside him rubbing his back as he wiped the residue of vomit from his lips.

“Is like shit a good answer?”

“Yeah.”

“Then like shit.” Junkrat's hand touched the stump gingerly and he looked to Skip with hurt in his eyes. “Why?”

“I'm sorry. We couldn't save your leg.”

“There wasn't much left of it to be fair.” Drew muttered from across the camp. 

“That dog used you as a fucking chew toy mate.” Baz chuckled a smirk gracing his lips.

“Oh fuck off will ya? Just tears you up inside that I lived, doesn't it? You would've been countin’ your lucky stars if I had carked it, well jokes on you mate. I’m alive, I may not be kickin’ yet but I’ll get there and first thing I’m gonna do is kick your arse.”

“Well I see the pain hasn’t put a filter on your mouth.” Drew muttered as he offered Junkrat a canteen of water which the younger Junker gladly took and practically drained it in one gulp. They had plenty of water, not enough to bathe in of course but allowing Junkrat to drain the canteen dry wasn’t going to to interrupt their stores. “We’re going to have to rest here for awhile, until you’re healed up.”

“And how the fuck am I suppose ta walk?” Junkrat muttered wiping his mouth and handing the canteen back.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it Rat.” Skip muttered as she knelt down beside him, calloused hands exploring the bandages that wrapped his stump as if she was trying to reposition them, as if her fiddling could make his pain go away. 

“Could ya just leave me alone for a bit yeah?” Junkrat swatted Skip’s hand away his molten amber eyes focused for once, every emotion he had was poured into those few words. The other two Junkers took the hint, probably happier to leave him be whilst Skip hesitated. The frown and pity on her features made Junkrat’s gut coil and nausea to rise in the back of his throat, it was already burning from him bringing his guts up earlier and he really didn’t want to repeat that. “I’ll be fine. Just need to process.”

“Alright…” Skip slowly stood, her firm hand an anchor on his shoulder, the moment her palm left he felt the cold and dread settle inside. Junkrat offered her a smile, a grin to wide and stretched, showing way too many teeth but she didn’t even hesitate, he was just being himself. Crazy, unstable, twitchy fucking Junkrat. 

Jamie watched as Skip rejoined the others by the warmth of the small campfire they allowed themselves, he stayed put, his eyes glancing to every single one of them and smothering the hate he felt that very second. The feeling had surprised him slightly, never before had he truly felt such vicious remorse for Skip, sure he had been annoyed or even angry but right now he wanted to break her fingers and watch her deal with the pain. Sucking a hiss of a breath through his teeth, Junkrat leant forward, his hands holding onto his upper thigh and squeezing the bruised skin there. He could still feel it, through the mask of pain and the ache that beat along with his heart, he could swear he still had toes, still feel them wiggling when he willed it. His eyes registered nothing and that was fucking with his mind right now.

This was all Skip’s fault.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junkrat getting use to his prosthetic. 
> 
> I intended to have this be a part of the last chapter but I had to break it in two as it was getting too long. 
> 
> I promise Roadhog will come in like the next two chapters or so.
> 
> Please let me know what you guys think.

“It’s healing well.” Skip muttered as she stepped away from Junkrat, crumpling up the soiled bandages and tossing them aside. The stump that was once Rat’s leg was puckered and bruised though he seemed to of fought off an infection which was luck finally running on their side. The young Junker seemed to be sulking, he refused to meet her gaze, his thin arms crossed against his bare chest. He was mumbling under his breath, words that Skip couldn’t make out besides the odd swear that was choking up his speech. Sighing she leant down to place her hand on his shoulder only to pull away when Junkrat flinched, she felt hurt from his reaction but honestly she didn’t expect anything else.

Since she had preformed her impromptu surgery on what had been Junkrat’s mangled leg, Skip had noticed the boy seemed more distant than usual, he had refused to talk to her after the initial shock had worn off, he no longer sat at her side by the fire nor did he even acknowledge her presence unless it was unavoidable. Jamie hadn’t gotten close to anyone else during that time, he had simply slammed a wall into place and ignored everyone around him, focusing his attention on building more bombs and traps. Skip noticed that his withdrawal seemed to spur on something a little different in Junkrat, whether it was caused by his lack of social interaction, or the pain he was feeling; but Skip saw his mental stability slowly slip more into madness. 

Junkrat would mutter and hold conversations with himself, talking about his companions or his bomb recipes, the rest had learnt to ignore him but Skip continued to listen. She noticed his twitching would shudder through Jamie’s entire body from time to time, his manic grin and giggling laughter would punctuate silences that fell between them. His hands would shake, his tremors becoming more frequent the longer he sat still, his mind trying to keep busy when he couldn’t and wouldn’t move around. He did nothing but create now days, he had begun working on his launcher, something he had been talking about since Skip first met him in that dingy dark home. Junkrat had pretty much finished the crude weapon, a mangle machine of parts that looked like something a child had put together. When he didn’t have any scrap to work on other things he made cherry bombs, small red balls that he kept aside in small cases to stock on ammo. 

Skip was worried, but Junkrat would avoid her the best he could, he was slow on his crutch at the best of times and when he couldn’t physically get away from her his eyes would be downcast and he would not acknowledge her unless they were talking about his injury. Junkrat accepted the scrap she offered him though, no thanks, no smile just a small rodent hoarding metal and junk. She watched him now, his eyes wide and fearful as she crouched beside him, his crutch was out of reach and so he was technically stranded in the dirt beside her, his body language still trying to push her away.

“How are you feeling Jamie?”

“Like shit. I still fuckin’ hate you.”

“I guess I deserve that.”

“Yeah, ya do.”

“There was no other way.”

“Don’t feed me that horse shit. There is always another way! You were just too quick to jump the gun on that weren’t ya?” Junkrat indicated to his leg, his eyes burning in anger and for once completely focused on Skip’s face. “You have no idea what the fuck I’m goin’ through. You’re just happy it’s healin’ alright, well Skip I hate to tell ya but it’s still fucking painful.”

“Jamie I’m sorry.”

“Maybe you are, but that doesn’t change anything.” The fire died in Junkrat’s eyes, he lost his fight as a puff of air escaped his lungs which practically caused his entire body to deflate. His shoulders slumped, a shudder running through his body, his voice strained and choked. “I can still feel it ya know?”

“Jamie… What you’re feeling is completely normal.” Skip sat down beside him in the red dirt, her hand grasping his own and squeezing tightly to try and get his attention. “It’s called phantom limb or some shit like that. Your brain still thinks your leg is there.”

“Well it’s fuckin’ not and I’m sick of the pain.”

“It’ll get easier.”

“Will it? Do ya know from experience? No! Don’t fuckin’ tell me it’s gonna get better Skip cause it might not.” Jamie was still refusing to meet her gaze, his fingers were clutched into the muscles of his thigh squeezing tightly and leaving small bruises in the light skin. “You have absolutely no idea what I’m going through.”

“I would if you would just tell me.”

“Forget it.”

“Fine.” Skip muttered, raising from the dirt quickly and moving away from Junkrat. She didn’t really expect him to of come to terms with his limb loss right away but she was being pressured by the others. They had to move on, they couldn’t stay here forever. If Jamie was going to take longer to heal then Baz and Drew were quite happily to leave the youngest Junker behind. Skip couldn’t allow that, she needed to get him moving, she couldn’t leave him behind as nothing more than food for the animals starving enough to look for it.

Grumbling in her frustration she kicked a nearby pile of scrap, hearing the satisfying sound of it rumble and rattle beneath her steel cap boots. Skip fell to her knees in front of it, hands sorting through each bit for something that could be useful, something that Jamie could use. She separated pistons and springs, put aside clamps and wires, one man’s junk was another man’s treasure so they said. To her she knew these rusted piles of scrap could be useful, whether Jamie or not agreed with her was an entirely different matter. She had watched him create a launcher out of scrap, a gear stick, a tire and some rubber bands so she was certain this wasn't beyond his reach. 

As much as the team questioned Jamie’s sanity they also questioned his genius. Skip knew he wasn’t an idiot, young and naive maybe, he definitely had a few screws loose but when his mind was focused Junkrat was a force to be reckoned with. He had created traps, bombs in varying scales and not to mention what he had made for the others. It took true genius to be able to look at some scrap metal and be able to make something from it, it took a brilliant mind to know what chemicals mixed well and what was needed to stabilise such concoctions. He may of been one sandwich short of a picnic but his mind flickered to life in areas that counted, ones that would insure his survival in the Outback even if he was a little blasé about the danger that lurked around them.

Skip eyed the scrap metal, she knew what he would need in theory, she had seen prosthetics before but actually going about and building one was totally lost on her. She gathered what she could, scooping them into the hem of her top and creating a make shift basket out of it to help her juggle the loot. There was a chance that Junkrat would simply turn the offering down, but he needed to build himself something and he needed to do it soon so they could continue moving. They were awfully close to Junkertown, that was a blessing and a curse. On one hand Raiders wouldn’t come this close to the colony, on the other they were in the town’s territory and Enforcers would be out in droves patrolling the perimeter. 

“Here.” Skip muttered as she dumped the junk in Jamie’s lap, practically startling him out of wherever his mind had been. The bits of scraps clattered onto the dirt, catching his attention as he began to sort through it, there was confusion on his young features buried beneath the soot and grime of his recent tinkering with explosives.

“What’s this for?”

“A prosthetic. Make yourself somethin’ to be able to get around.” 

The words seemed to spark something in Junkrat, his eyes lit up and a smile spread across his thin features. Skip could practically see his mind working, see the cogs turning as he moved to sort the pieces somehow. It made no sense to her, but it wasn’t suppose to she guessed, Jamie had his own method of doing things and now all she had to do was sit back and wait until he asked for something that she hadn’t already provided him.

“Thanks Skip.”

“Yeah yeah. It’s the least I could do.”

“The least you could do would be jack shit, but this helps.”

“Are we good yet?”

“No… not yet but it’s a start.” Skip smiled at Junkrat’s giggle, offering his shoulder a tight squeeze before she moved on, left him to his own devices as she went to join the others. It wasn’t an apology, not even close to one but at least he was talking to her without practically snarling her name. Baby steps.

***

The prosthetic felt weird, Junkrat had never had to build anything like it before, but the group had wanted to move on and six weeks had been enough time for him to come to terms with his loss. As much as he hated to admit it but Baz was right, they couldn't stay here for much longer so this had to work. The joints that acted as his knee were rusted and squeaking, the wood for the peg had been what remained of the crutch he had used up until this point. It was a little bit too long, so it gave him an uneven gait but Rat figured he was still growing and this way he wouldn't have to switch it out for awhile yet. 

Skip had remained by his side, acting like the nurse she use to be, he had to keep telling her that he wasn't a dog that needed petting. She had helped him get the feel of it though, supported his body as he hobbled on the uneven red dirt. Moving had been difficult at first, but the more he forced himself to move the more he became use to the feeling of the heavy metal and wood that was his new leg. The peg design obviously wasn’t the best choice, but really he didn’t have much else to work with, there were no Omnics this close to Junkertown and Rat didn’t know if he could use something that had belonged to one of those blasted machines anyway.

Jamie could see the looming structures that were Junkertown on the horizon, a dark blot of mangled scrap against the red dirt of the Outback. He had never been to the settlement before, but Skip had warned him from it for a very long time. From what he could gather there had been some bad blood between them but he wasn’t interested enough to follow the query further. Junkertown was just like any other settlement in the Outback, filled with vicious and foolish Junkers who scrapped and scrambled to just stay alive, to Rat there was no difference between them and himself, except for the fact they had a much larger population to take down their little rag-tag group. The other thing Skip had warned him about had been the Enforcers, Jamie knew even less about them but he had heard plenty horror stories around their makeshift little camp site. A group of wannabe coppers and bounty hunters who were just right cunts to the other citizens of the Outback. He had personally never come across any of them and he wanted to keep it that way.

“Fuck!” Baz’s loud curse caused the rest of the team to freeze. Drew was gripping his rifle his knuckles white, Skip was dousing the camp’s fire in thick red dirt and Rat was still trying to keep his balance on his newest prosthetic. “We’ve been spotted. Just Junkers by the look of ‘em!”

The words were enough to spur their little group into action, Drew wasted no time in letting a warning short ring out, his sight had never really been the best and in the fading light with the sun in his eyes it was even worse. The bullet buried deep into the dying bark of a nearby tree but it was enough of a shock to cause the approaching Junkers to freeze in their tracks, precious seconds that bought time for the rest of them to gather their wits. Baz and Skip were lethal in hand to hand combat, but that was the problem, they were bringing knives to a gun fight and the only thing they could do would be to protect and pack the camp whilst Drew and Junkrat gave them plenty of cover. Rat felt his knee buckle slightly as he scrambled for his launcher hidden within his belongings, he slapped an ammo cartridge into place and pulled the gear to prime the crude weapon.

“That was just a warnin’ shot. Come closer and I won’t miss.” Drew called out signalling the others to continue their packing so they could get out in one piece.

“Ya sure mate cause ya were like five metres off last shot.” Junkrat muttered as he stood beside his elder.

“I won’t miss shooting you.”

“Point taken mate.” Junkrat’s nodded his fingers twitching for combat, wanting nothing more than to shoot the launcher and watch his cherry bombs lob in a low arc towards their enemies. The colour of the explosions would be magnificent and he was looking forward to trying out the crude weapon in combat for the first time. Junkrat knew bombs, it was the one thing he could excel at, and with his diminishing mental health, his obsession with them grew.  He knew the team didn't really like him, Skip the exception. Drew was indifferent, an old man who couldn't stand being around any of them, Baz hated his guts, Rat had no idea why. Well he had an inkling why.

The Junkers had once again gathered their wits, weapons raised cautiously as they slowly approached the little group of strangers, Junkrat grinned propping the base of his launcher against his armpit to keep it steady. A giggle escaped him, quiet and timid which grew louder as his teeth bared and his head threw back in his manic laughter. The intruding Junkers stopped for a moment, confusion on their features their hands trembling slightly as they rose their weapons. 

“So care ta make it interestin’ Drew? I’ll bet I can take out more than you can.”

“Bring it on ya little cunt.”

“Perfect.” Junkrat grinned. “Oi! Fellas! It’s a perfect day for some mayhem!” Jamie pulled the trigger, he had been practising with his launcher before today and he was fairly confident in the cherry bombs trajectory as they bounced towards their targets. A shot rang out beside him, Drew moving the pin and reloading his rifle, Junkrat lobbed another bomb, one every 1.2 seconds could cause a lot of damage. So moving targets were a lot harder to hit, but that was the brilliance behind his explosives, it didn’t have to be a direct hit to cause damage. 

“We’re done. Come on!” Skip’s voice called behind him, her gruff tone breaking through the chaos that was erupting around him. Junkrat noticed Drew shift and stand, firing off another blind shot before he too turned tail and ran. 

“Oi, I ain’t done here yet!” Rat slammed the empty cartridge from his launcher, listening to it clatter on the compact earth as he reached for another his hand scrabbling at his belt for the now familiar feel. Giggles bubbled from his throat as he clipped the new ammo into place only to have his hand drawn away as he went to prime. “What the hell Skip?”

“We’re going Jamie!” Skip pulled on his wrist causing him to snarl, Rat yanked his arm away but heeded her words and followed grumbling to himself, his body twitching for the adrenaline he was feeling to stay, to turn back around and fight the other Junkers to show them that he was not to be messed with.

They left the camp, licking their pride like wounded animals on the run. Jamie hated the feeling that they had been chased away from their belongings, he wouldn’t know how much they had actually managed to scavenge until it was safe to stop. The ground was uneven beneath their feet, his peg sinking uncomfortably into the sand, his thigh muscles screaming in pain with how much use they were getting, served him right for sitting on his arse for weeks. Bringing up the rear Jamie suddenly froze, his amber eyes on the dirt below him and the darkened patches in the red earth. 

“Uh guys. We’ve got a problem.” Junkrat dipped his fingers into the wet dirt, pulling away fingertips stained red from blood.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of battle.

“Fuck. Drew!” Skip threw her arm around the taller man, supporting his chest as he leant into her, his right hand clutching at his left side. Drew’s fingers were soaked with his own blood, the dark fabric of his flannel shirt was stained and torn in the most gruesome way. He gasped in a breath, his steps dragging in the sand as he was urged to move on. Drew wasn’t a young man anymore, he didn’t have the adrenaline or the stamina to continue to push himself, but with Skip propping him up and urging him forward he had no choice but to keep walking. 

Baz was muttering about the Junkers, the distance between them wasn’t great, but they seemed to have stalled at the groups little campsite, probably scavenging for stuff they had left behind. A lot of Junkrat’s arsenal would be included in that collection, he had gone from being fully stocked to only having enough to last him another skirmish. Skip and Baz had seemed to grab what they thought was most important; food, water, their sleeping rolls and some ammo but otherwise most had been left in the dust. Junkrat leant down, his free hand grasping Drew’s rifle as the man dropped it in the dirt, collapsing to the ground with a pained cry, Skip unable to support his much larger weight. 

“Drew, come on we gotta keep moving.” Skip urged him while she crouched at his side in the dirt, her eyes focused on the horizon behind them, looking for movement against the sun. “I know it’s hard but I can’t tend to you here, we’re still too close.”

“Forget it Skip, he ain’t goin’ anywhere. I’ll set up some traps to protect us and you can just work ya magic.”

“No. We keep moving.” Baz snarled turning on them with his machete raised and a grimace on his features.

“Mate he can’t keep goin’ we have to stop here.”

“If he can’t keep going then he dies. Drew knows the rules.”

“So if it were up ta you, ya would've left me ta die.”

“Does that shock you?”

“Not really. Always knew you were a cunt.”

“We’re not leaving him!” Skip stood, her hand firm on Drew’s shoulder and lightly squeezing it to reassure him, she had inspected the wound and worry had settled deep within her gut at her find. Drew had been shot, that much was fucking obvious but she hadn’t seen a bullet wound quite like it before, it was jagged and rough around the edges, nothing like the smooth entry a bullet would make. No, unfortunately for Drew he had been shot by a scrap gun, a rather deadly weapon that most Junkers would adopt as ammo had never been easy to get in Australia even before the Crisis. There was no telling what had punctured his side, no way of knowing what sort of metal was shredding his muscles the longer it stayed buried. If he was lucky, it would be a bolt or a nail, if not, well there was probably no way to fight off the infection. “We can’t leave him.”

“Suit yourself!” Baz rolled his eyes, bending down to Drew’s eye level with Skip practically seething over his shoulder. “No hard feelings old man. I did like you.”

“That’s it? You’re just going to leave, after everything Drew’s done for you?” Skip’s hands were clenched at her side in anger, her pack of their hastily gathered supplies lying forgotten in the dirt. Drew was coughing beside them, blood soaking his hand in sputtered gasps, there was a possibility his lung had been punctured.

“You’re right. I should be thankful.” Baz smiled up at Skip but he remained level with the elder man, his face suddenly sincere, the hand grasping Drew’s shoulder shook him gently. “I know you’re in pain, it’s alright though. We’ll take care of you.”

Baz’s smile faded, his facial features almost sad as he gripped tightly to Drew’s shoulder. He seemed to be fighting an inner battle, the silence surrounding them, the call of cicadas foreboding. Baz shifted, his fingers tightening on his machete, the rusted edge plunging deep within Drew’s chest. His gurgled cry was silenced quickly. 

“Jesus fucking christ!” Junkrat clenched the trigger of his launcher, his hands shaking, knowing that an explosive at this range would damage more than just Baz.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Skip snarled, her fists clenching into Baz’s shirt and pulling him to his feet. “You fuckin’ killed him!”

“I put him out of his misery, it’s more than you could've done.” Baz knocked her hands away and stepped back from Skip, his machete bloodied and still grasped tightly in his hands. “We move on.”

“Fuck you! Who say’s I’m gonna listen to ya? Killin’ Drew doesn’t just grant you power over us, we listened to him cause he knew what he was talkin’ about. Also he wasn't a fuckin’ cunt.”

“Jamie.” Skip reprimanded as she moved to stand beside him, her eyes boring daggers at Baz. “We’re not going with you, Rat’s right. Why would I trust you after what you just fuckin’ did? What, I’m gonna wake up one night with your blade at my throat? No thank you.”

“Only if you’re a little bitch! Come on Skip, you and I could be great together.” Baz smirked.

“And what about Rat?”

“Rat? If he falls behind, he’s left behind. It’s a cruel world out here Sheila and I’m not slowing down for anyone.” Baz grinned, his gruff features smirking at Junkrat as if wishing the kid to say something, to pull the trigger on his launcher so Baz could finally finish the little shit.

“Fuck you mate.”

“Forget it Baz! You’re on your own! I hope you fuckin’ get eaten by a dingo, would be a fitting end for ya.” Skip snatched her bag of supplies hefting her heavy sledge hammer. “Or do you wanna give me and Rat a go?”

“You keep livin’ in your dream world Skip. You’ll have to wake up someday.” Baz scoffed, turning his back on them and heading towards Junkertown, his destination clear to others. Junkrat wanted to lob a cherry bomb at him, watch it explode in a cloud of red dust and black smoke but he knew killing Baz wouldn’t be worth the waste in ammo, his stock was low enough as it was. He could only hope the fucking sick bastard would die from exhaustion and be eaten whilst weak and alive by some vicious creature.

“Should we uh- bury him?” Junkrat asked looking down at Drew, his lifeless bodied staining the red dirt darker beneath him. 

“No point, waste of our time.” Skip frowned before motioning for Jamie to follow her, she felt bad for leaving Drew’s body out to the elements but they couldn’t waste the time giving him a proper burial, they were still so close to their old camp, to the other Junkers, they had to keep moving. 

“Man Skip, that’s rough.”

“Shut up Rat. I don’t want to but we have no choice.”

“Yeah yeah… whatever.” Junkrat frowned down at Drew, he never really liked the guy but that was because the feeling had been pretty mutual, that didn’t mean he wanted to see the man’s body rot in the harsh wasteland. Drew had been gruff and a bit of a prick but he had taught Junkrat a lot about survival and his hate had never been as obvious as what Baz’s had been. Rat looked up, catching a glimpse of the other Junker’s retreating silhouette on the red horizon. “Hey, where we goin’?”

“I don’t know. We’ll keep headin’ east, avoid Junkertown and hopefully find someone else to join us.”

“That’s gonna be tough, who’d want us?”

“Well out here people don’t really have pick of the litter. If we did, do you think we would've taken Baz in all those years ago?”

“I guess not.” Junkrat muttered as he shouldered the heavy pack Skip had been carrying earlier, handing her Drew’s old rifle instead. He was hoping she knew her way around the rifle, he had never used one nor had he ever had Drew walk him through the steps. 

They would be alright… eventually.

 

**********

 

The gang changed over the years. When Drew had been shot, his body left behind to rot in the Outback sun, they had moved on. Skip of course stayed with him, she always did, as if she had made some promise to herself to keep him safe. They had gathered more people along the road, having an explosives expert and Skip’s medical knowledge came in handy and the next lot of Junkers had brought them in under their wing. It was a harsh life in the Outback and although there was no trust among men, they knew when to not pass up an opportunity. 

Junkrat was eighteen, his birthday had passed last month -he thinks- it was sometime in the winter, and of course it was nothing to really celebrate anymore besides an extra shot of moonshine around the camp at night. He had been living this life for the last five years, collecting scrap and moving from one place to the next, a vicious cycle that he was doomed to repeat. He could tell that Skip was becoming bored of it too, her life had gone from freedom to patching up other members of their new team constantly. 

Frowning at his thoughts, Junkrat was muttering under his breath as he worked on the latest trip mine, he wanted this one to work via remote rather than just trigger when there was pressure. It was a little bit difficult to get the mixture and mechanism right, one had blown up almost in his face one day, his hair now singed and missing in a few areas due to the miscalculations. One thing Junkrat knew and that was to not give up, he had scrapped that recipe and had simply just tried again. 

“What are ya working on Jamie?”

“Rat.”

“What?”

“My names not Jamie, it's Junkrat. I don't want these drongos knowing anythin' more about me than they already know.”

“Fair enough.” Skip sat down beside him, she was exhausted, he could tell by the bags under her eyes and the way her frame leant against him, handing him the screwdriver when he asked for it. “So what are ya working on Rat?”

“Trip mine, remote controlled.” He quickly explained the components to her, her tired eyes barely registering. 

“Ya know, I kind of should've chosen a different name for ya besides Rat.”

“What why? What you talkin’ ‘bout?”

“Well you're not exactly fucking small anymore are ya? Who would've thought you were going to grow up to be a basketball player.” Skip chuckled and although Junkrat didn't know what basketball was, he giggled along anyway, happy to see his friend with a smile on her face. 

“Well too late now. It's stuck and hey, it might make people underestimate me yeah?”

“Yeah. Umm… hey Rat. Do you enjoy it here?”

Junkrat remained silent, fiddling with the trap that was sitting in the dirt between his splayed legs, his eyes briefly studied the peg that he had upgraded recently as he digested Skip's words. Honestly, no, he hated it here, there were too many of them, too many Junkers to split the spoils with. Skip was tired though, he could see that, she was unhappy where she was but she was sick and tired of moving around. He didn't blame her really, it was a harsh environment, and she was fifteen years his senior, she didn't want to wander anymore. 

“Good of a place as any innit? I mean it's not gonna be any different no matter where we go. Here at least we have protection of others.”

“Do you trust these people?”

“Fuck no.”

Skip chuckled along with his mad giggling, passing him a wrench when he held out his hand for it. She watched him tinker well into the night, her tired eyes looking up at the stars that were covered by radioactive fog. Her breathing eventually evened out as she fell asleep by his side. Junkrat wouldn't sleep tonight, he never could when he had a lick of genius tickling his brain, he'd be a wreck tomorrow but with so many Junkers around it was unlikely they would notice his more than usual madness. 

He was going scavenging again tomorrow. Hopefully this time he was actually going to find something worth while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise guys Roadhog will be like two chapters away, I think. I keep expanding on what I originally wrote and unfortunately it's making the chapters longer and me having to break them up into more than one part.
> 
> Anyway I hope you guys enjoy. Any questions, concerns or whatever let me know. I like feedback like any author.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Junkrat finds his treasure and has to harden the fuck up.
> 
> Also please keep in mind that if there is any mistakes, I don't really proof read my work too well.

“Fire in the hole!” Junkrat warned even though there was barely anyone around. Safety first of course. The explosion blew shrapnel and metal away from the Omnium, useless pieces of junk that not even the scavengers would want. The clear path it created unearthed more useful scrap anyway, this stuff he could actually sell for a profit or use himself. His uneven gait echoed loudly in the setting sun, the darkness of the Outback was fast approaching and it brought with it things a lot worse than giant bugs. Like dingos, his gait staggered at the phantom pain from the memory, his body shivering in response, Jamie took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Frowning he started digging around the earth, poking things with the end of his launcher curiously. A few items had made it into his greedy arms but all of it was soon forgotten, clattering to the ground at the sight of _it_. 

“Hooley Dooley. What the fuck is that?” Junkrat's breaths were muttered as he approached his new treasure cautiously. It was something he had never seen before but somehow he knew this was it. This was the find of the century and this was going to make him a very wealthy man. He brushed red dirt from the surface and took a step back, a manic grin spreading across his angular features. Falling to his knees, Rat dug the rest of his treasure out of the silt, stuffing it into his knapsack and throwing the now useless other pieces of scrap on top. It barely fit inside the decaying material of his pack, but the jagged metal from the other pieces he collected did a good job at hiding his new found treasure. He’d have to find somewhere to hide it, some place no one would know and no one would go looking for. A few spots immediately sprang to mind but he wondered whether the danger was worth it. Feeling his treasure bump against his hip, sharp edges digging into his flesh, he knew that everything this thing brought him would be eventually worth it. First, he had to show Skip.

Jamie was more twitchy than usual when he arrived back at the Junkers’ camp, no one seemed to pay him any mind, they had watched his sanity slowly go downhill over the years, to them he was just being Junkrat. To avoid curiosity he shared some of his spoils with the others as he was suppose to, the payment for being in their group, they shared what they found and they shared the profits they made, there was no way they were getting his treasure though. Eventually he sought out Skip, like he normally would, she was washing blood from her hands, her back hunched, her form fatigued from her days work. She was scrubbing at her fingertips furiously in the dirty water, scraping the dried blood from beneath her fingernails as a baby cried from the nearby tent. Junkrat could gather what happened, nothing he was really interested in of course, he wondered why people would bring children into the fucked up world that was the Australian Outback.

“How's it goin' luv?”

“Rat!” Skip jumped, the water splashing onto the red dirt and immediately being soaked up by the hungry soil. Her eyes studied the younger man, he seemed more jumpy than usual, his body covered in soot and his hair burning at the tips. “You scared me!”

“Sorry.” He giggled not seeming apologetic at all, yet Skip knew better, walking forward she used her damp hands to smother the smouldering edges of his blond hair. “Ya'll never guess what I found!”

“I swear to god Rat if this is another roadkill or bomb I'm going to fuckin’ kill you.”

“Nah calm ya tits. It's something even better.” Junkrat’s body was wracked with another violent tremor, his liquid amber eyes searching the camp around them, his incessant grin faltering for a fraction of a moment, as if seeming lost within his own thoughts.

“Well?” Skip prompted, trying to snap him back to the reality at hand. Lately she had been noticing his attention span was becoming practically non existent. If it didn’t relate directly to his craft or mayhem then he seemed quite happy to forget what he was doing and move on. 

“Not here.”

“Rat, I don’t have time for games. I’m tired. I just had to help a woman through a sixteen hour labour.”

“Gross.”

“It’s not gross, it’s natural. What do you want to show me?”

“Not here. Can we go to ya tent or somethin’?”

“Ya know what? Fine.” Skip rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation, she could still smell the blood on her hands, it was now mixed with the smell of soot, sweat and oil that seemed to coat her companion constantly. She led him silently through the camp, well she was silent but Junkrat was quite animate whilst he was speaking. Skip heard the odd word about scraps and bombs and even the retelling of a scuffle with another Junker. She never took what Jamie said seriously, his retellings of past accounts could be quite extravagant and over the top, at best, they made a good campfire story but listening to his rambling in the close confines of her tent she was not looking forward to. She’d have to get him quickly back on track somehow.

Skip smiled as Junkrat laughed, his hands imitating an explosion to her and she shook her head as she ushered him inside the tent. He stumbled slightly on the threshold, not use to the rough canvas material beneath his peg, he steadied himself on her dresser as a string of curses flowed from his lips. He shifted his weight from side to side experimentally until he felt like he had the feel of the uneven terrain under his foot, he grasped the strap from his knapsack and gently lowered the heavy contents to the ground.

“Rat, you’re not keeping all those spoils to ya’self are ya? You know the rules here, we share our findings in return for shelter, food and protection. I can’t have you ruinin’ that.”

“Settle the fuck down Skip! I already shared most of me junk.”

“Then what’s in the bag?” Skip asked, her voice wavering slightly. “I swear if this is some dead animal I’m going to fuckin’ kill you.”

“Does it look like a dead animal Skip? There ain’t no blood. Besides I told ya I learnt me lesson.” Junkrat had the sense to look slightly ashamed, he hadn’t been too proud of the black eye she had given him that time. He crouched down on his haunches, the knee joint of his artificial leg groaning from the movement, he opened the bag, his hand rummaging inside before he thought better of it and indicated for her to look instead.

“Jamie.” Skip warned approaching the bag cautiously.

“Give me some credit. It don’t bite, at least I don’t think it does.”

“I hate you.”

“I know. Just look in the bag will ya!”

Skip frowned as she pulled the draw strings wider, the bag’s opening for some reason being the most threatening thing she had ever come across. She knew Rat meant well ninety percent of the time, but that didn’t mean she had received some surprises as _gifts_ during their time together. The caring yet oddly strange nature of Junkrat became less and less over the years, but every now and then he would share something with her that either lit up his face with pure delight-generally they were bombs-or with complete malice-when she had pissed him off. This was neither. Junkrat looked nervous, wringing his hands as tremors wracked his body, his wide eyes were watching her, his breathing laboured as he awaited her every move.

Sighing Skip looked into the dark contents of the bag, making out a weird shape at the bottom that was digging into the canvas material and threatening to tear the durable fabric. She plunged her hand into the darkened unknown and when her fingertips didn’t feel pain but a weird smooth surface she pulled them back out, confusion clear on her features. Rolling down the rim of the knapsack she sat back studying the thing in front of her.

“What the fuck is this thing?”

“I dunno. Hopin’ you could tell me, think it’s worth a pretty penny yeah?”

“Probably… Where did you find it?”

“The Omnium, near the core.”

“Jamie!” Skip stood up suddenly, her movement causing Junkrat to stumble from the shock of her outburst. “I told you not to go near the core. The radiation-”

“Is fuckin’ everywhere. I don’t think half an hour near the core is gonna make much difference.”

“I told you to leave the Omnium alone. There are still Omnics out there!”

“And I’ll tear every last one I see ta fuckin’ pieces! What’s ya point? If I didn't go out there today I wouldn’t have found whatever this thing is.”

“You could've been killed.”

“Skip. I ain’t no little tyke no more. Everyday I go out scavengin’ I could be killed, hell I could be killed in this camp, plenty of cunts have fuckin’ threatened me already.” 

“But it doesn’t mean you should go lookin’ for trouble!” Skip could see Jamie about to protest, his lips pulled into a feral snarl that showed off his wicked canines. She stepped in quickly, wrapping her strong calloused hand around his elbow and dragging him towards her. He stumbled, she caught him, her arms wrapped around his tall frame in support as she crushed his body against hers. The gesture caused Junkrat to freeze, he seemed confused, squirming in her grip. He smelt like petrol, soot and sweat, he was awkward in her grasp, her hands finding his shoulders and pushing him out to arms length so she could study him. “I just don’t want ya to get hurt.”

“Bit late huh?” Rat grinned indicating to his right leg, the knee joint squeaking slightly from the movement, a grim reminder of the time she hadn’t been able to protect him. The one time she had hesitated in her decisions. He giggled, his reaction to everything. Junkrat laughed when he found something funny, when he thought he was being clever, when he was nervous or scared; the problem was Skip couldn’t read his expression so whatever reaction he was having was still a mystery to her. 

“So what are ya gonna do with this thing?” Skip decided it was best to brush his comment to the side, she didn’t want to fight with Junkrat again, she had learnt quite quickly from experience that the man could hold a fucking grudge like there was no tomorrow. Not to mention the tension that would be palpable between them. 

“I dunno yet. Probably hide it first yeah?”

“Probably a good idea.” Skip leant down to tie the knapsack back up and handed it to her scrawny companion. “I think you should stay here tonight. I wanna keep an eye on ya in case the core has made ya sick.”

“Nah I’ll be right mate.” Junkrat grinned giving her a small salute as he ducked out of her tent and into the cooling air of the Outback. Skip frowned, she knew he preferred to sleep out in the open where he couldn’t be cornered, but she also knew that he was a scavenger and the Junkers they were aligned with didn’t give privilege to the the scrap searchers, there was no point when lives were being lost every few days. Sighing she wished him goodnight before turning to retire herself, she was exhausted from her day, she hated that she had become a nurse to these people. Skip would always be stuck in camp, they couldn’t risk her out hunting or scavenging, the life she had once known for years had been snatched from between her fingers and thrusted upon Junkrat. 

These Junkers didn’t care for either one of them, there was no trust among men, but they knew how important the two of them were and simply pacified her and Junkrat’s every need. They kept her fed and reasonably happy whilst they milked her for what little medical knowledge she possessed. They helped supply Junkrat with bombs and materials for his other explosives but on the trade he was usually the first sent into dangerous situations to either set traps or blow some scrap heap sky high. Skip worried about how much longer his short life had left, he certainly enjoyed what he did but he wasn’t the most careful explosives expert she had ever met, surely experimenting with those chemicals was frowned upon. 

Skip had only just drifted off, her body and mind exhausted when she heard the distinct sound of Jamie’s footsteps approaching her tent, the sound of his curses as his peg leg dug into the soft soil. She pulled her tent cover open for him and took in his pale complexion and general pink tinge to his normal grotty freckled cheeks. He was clutching his stomach and there was bile and blood on the corner of his lips. She was right, the radiation from being near the core had flared the ulcers probably lining his gut, frowning she ushered him inside. The radiation effected everyone eventually, mentally, physically. Some were more fortunate than others. Junkrat being one of those. 

From what Skip had gathered, Jamie was born when the Omnic Crisis had ended, he had been too young when the peace treaty was signed and the Outback was given to the machines. He was also too young to remember the meltdown of the Omnic fusion core, he grew up in a world full of junk and radiation. She had no idea where his obsession with bombs had come from, he had seemed like a normal kid when she had first met him, since then he had become a twisted version of himself. Ruthless, mean, vicious and still somehow giddy and childlike. She blamed his mental stability on the radiation, but she was never so sure, she didn’t know what he had been through once his parents had died, and he never told her. 

Skip zipped the tent shut behind him, reaching out to steady a hand on Junkrat’s shoulder, surprisingly he shrugged her off with a grunt. The radiation was affecting his body just like every other Junker, one day it would become more severe, he was lucky that it affected him so little. Skip tended to more people every day in their little commune, she was slowly watching the radiation catch up to every single one of them, herself included. Sighing she grasped the waste paper bin from her makeshift bedside table and placed it roughly in front of him.

“Told ya the core would make ya sick.”

“Shut up.” He grumbled, no malice behind his words as he practically threw himself to his knees and clutched a bucket to his chest. Dry heaving, he managed to spit up a little bit of blood, his thin chest tightening with every heaved breath. Skip gave his shoulder a small squeeze but other than that comfort she left him be, moving to sit on her cot to watch him. The smell of stomach acid slowly began to fill the tent as Junkrat would bring up small coughs of blood and bile, the smell was going to linger for a few days at least. “Ya know… I hate it when you’re right.”

“I know.” Skip grinned one wide enough to match his own, she reached for the flask on her bedside table, a small round canteen that sloshed with water. It was part of her rations but it looked like Junkrat was going to need it more than she was right now. Offering him the flask she watched him take it with greedy thin fingers and take a rather generous sip. “You’re gonna be sick for a coupla days.”

“This sucks.”

“Yeah it does. Did you hide ya thing?”

“Yeah. Buried it somewhere.” He heaved again but not even the water he drunk had come up this time. “I’ll go get it when I feel better.”

“Good idea.” Skip sighed as she leaned back into her cot, looking up at the dark material of the canvas tent. “Stay here until ya better ok?”

Junkrat went to protest, a pillow solidly whacked him in the face silencing him immediately. He scrabbled to grasp the bucket so it didn’t spill the vile liquid onto the lumpy floor. He guessed he should be thankful that she wasn’t kicking him out and she was there to keep an eye on him, not many really cared for him the way Skip did. Problem was, it made Junkrat feel like a child and he fucking hated that. The lantern switched off, yet he continued to watch the darkness, the area where he had last seen Skip’s silhouette as she had settled in for sleep. He was thankful to her, maybe one day he should probably share that thought with her, not now though, he was still kind of angry at her for being right. When his stomach had finally stopped feeling like a red hot iron that was intent on curling his stomach in knots, he finally settled into the floor, clutching Skip’s pillow to his chest and wrapping his long arms around the comfort item. 

He dreamt of his treasure.

**** 

“Nah mate I’m gonna get outta here one day. Make it rich!”

“What the fuck ya talkin’ bout ya mad cunt?”

“Listen here Coot, we’ve been scavengin’ together for a long time. It’s Junkrat, not cunt. Fuck me mate, ya hard of hearing or somethin’?”

“You ain’t gettin’ outta here Rat! No one gets outta the Outback, only the tall poppy’s and they all livin’ near the coast like the rich fucks they are.”

“Oh trust me Coot, I’m gonna go far. Found somethin’ that’s gonna change me life.”

“What ya balls?”

Junkrat hollered with laughter and thumped the other man on the back, the movement caused the grenades on his harness to shake and he watched Coot’s eyes grow wide with fear. Junkrat’s laughter tittered off into a light giggle, his hand itching at the trigger of his launcher, honestly though he had tormented Coot enough, the other man didn’t deserve it really. He was just another lost soul in the commune that did his best to survive and scavenge enough to get himself some food and water in return. 

“Yeah nah, just you wait, you’ll all see. I got somethin’ that’ll buy me way out.”

“What you hidin’ Rat?”

“I don’t know what ya talkin’ bout.”

“But you just said-”

“You’re confused. Happens to the best of us Coot. Don’t feel down bout it.” Junkrat grimaced but offered his fellow scavenger a casual salute before he took off in a different direction. He had to learn to stop boasting and running his mouth, Skip had warned him about it. He knew most Junkers were cut throat individuals and would gladly stab him in the back for a bottle of water let alone his treasure, but something had Junkrat more giddy than usual today. As he lopped over on his uneven gait, he looked to the large pile of scrap on the distance, if he squinted hard enough he could make out the remaining structure of the Omnium and grinned at what he knew he had hidden there.

It was dangerous to hide his treasure almost where he originally found it, but now no one knew where it was but him. The Omnium kept most away due to it being the heart of the radiation, only insane Junkers wanted to scavenge there, but even then they had to be smart enough to actually traverse the collapsing building. Junkrat knew his treasure would be safe, only an idiot would go looking for it, but the other Junkers didn’t know about it and he had to make sure he kept it that way. Junkrat looked back over his shoulder, his amber eyes studying Coot, the other man seemed to be shoulder deep in scrap. He knew. 

Jamie frowned, there was a strange itching in the back of his mind, an urge that was screaming for his attention. His fingers twitched on his launcher, it was unloaded at the moment but that could be rectified very quickly. Coot knew and that was a big problem, Coot could talk, maybe even more than Junkrat and sure most people ignored what the other man said as insane ramblings but Junkrat couldn’t take that chance. Damn this fuck was going to waste some of his precious ammo. It was becoming more difficult for Junkrat to scavenge for it, what with their group taking ninety percent of his findings in trade for supplies. It was a risk he was going to have to take. 

“Hey Coot!” Junkrat called as he closed the distance between the other Scavenger, the elder man seeming confused for a moment, it was out of the ordinary. They travelled together yes, but they never scavenged together. The closer Jamie got the more that itching feeling in his mind was satisfied, like scratching an infected mosquito bite, painful but pleasurable. 

“What the fuck do ya wan’t Rat?”

“Rude!” Jamie grinned as he loaded his cherry bombs slowly into their cartridge. 

One.

“We’re not friends Rat. Why you scavenging near me?”

Two.

“Oh just bein’ friendly Coot.”

Three.

“Rat?”

Four.

“Nothin’ to worry bout mate, just being prepared that’s all.”

Five. 

“Prepared for what?”

“Well, for ya to talk.” Junkrat giggled, his laughter growing louder as he threw his head back, the launcher prepped and ready for his happy trigger finger. Coot was backing away from Rat, smart man, but really it would work in Jamie’s favour, no one wanted an explosion to go off in their face. “Ya know too much mate, can’t have you fuckin’ talkin’ to every person ya meet.”

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ bout.”

“Yeah ya do.” 

“Look Rat I won’t say anythin’ I swear.”

“Can’t risk it. See ya on the other side, ya cunt.” Jamie pulled the trigger, the cherry bomb bounced off of the red dirt once before the impact with Coots chest caused it to explode. The smell of gunpowder and the irony scent of blood filled the air. Limbs were blasted apart, blood and soot spraying across Junkrat’s face and torso, a mad smile splitting his features. “Fucken’ beautiful.”

There wasn’t much left of Coot to clean up, there wasn’t much left to scavenge either, Junkrat simply kicked the red dirt over what was left of his remains. Poor guy. Jamie smiled, a wicked vicious grin showing off his teeth, he felt much better now. That insane itch was gone, satisfied by the beautiful explosion that had been filled with the delicious spray of blood. It had been bright, that cherry bomb had been a new design and he was going to remember that mixture, the explosion had been very satisfying. 

Skip had been right though, he had to learn to stop running his mouth, as fun as this had been he couldn’t kill every single person he talked to. That would be nearly every person he was ever left alone with, Junkrat just couldn’t help himself, he talked, when he was nervous, he talked when he was excited and sometimes he said things he wasn’t suppose to. No one but Skip knew about his treasure, well Coot did but he was no longer a threat. Junkrat didn’t really have the resources to keep wasting his precious supplies like this. 

It looked like he was going to have to make up some bullshit excuse as to why Coot was never going to return to camp, he’d probably think of something. Wiping the blood from his face, mixing it in with the soot that caked his skin, he smudged it over his chest trying to rid himself of the evidence as there was no way he was going to waste the water on making himself clean. It was going to have to do, smeared marks of grime and dirt covering the worst of it. Junkrat could still smell Coot though. That old cologne he wore to hide the smell of his body, the whiskey that he would always drink, but worst of all, Junkrat could smell his blood. Hidden beneath the thick tendrils of black smoke was the copper scent of the other scavenger, that was going to be something he wasn’t going to forget.

By the time Junkrat returned to camp, covered in soot and smelling like a petrol tank with a bag full of scrap, no one seemed to bat an eyelid at him. No one asked him about the drying brown stains on his clothes, or the smears across his face. They were interested in only one thing and that was the scrap that was stuffed precariously into his knapsack, handing over his share and receiving his rations in return. A tremor ran through Junkrat, a giddy laugh escaped him as he felt the Commune’s leaders watch him. It was as if they knew something was wrong but had yet to figure out what it was.

“Well I’ll see ya ladies later yeah?” Jamie grinned, wiggling his fingers in a mock salute before he turned on his peg leg to make a hasty retreat.

“Rat!” One called causing him to falter in his movements. “Where the fuck is Coot, ya seen him?”

“Can’t say that I have. Not since we left, told me to fuck off and not scavenge ‘round him. I wasn’t gonna wait for the ungrateful prick.”

“Well you’re not exactly suppose to babysit him, he’ll turn up.”

“Probably.” Junkrat forced a smile onto his features. How did they not know? Could they not see or smell the blood on him? Could they not notice the stench of decay mixed with grime and grease? Jamie wasn’t going to press his luck, he was going to get the fuck out of there before they thought of more questions, he headed for Skip’s tent, the dull canvas a beacon to him amongst the commune. He shouldered his way through the ripped opening, taking in Skip practically passed out on her cot, a groan escaping her lips when she had realised who it was.

“Rat, come on man just give me like a halfa to sleep. I need some kinda rest before the next idiot comes in needing stitches.” Skip had her hand draped over her eyes, yet as she moved to peek at him she sat up abruptly. “What the fuck happened to you?”

“Oh nothin’. Go back to sleep Skip, I’m just returnin’ some supplies.” She studied him as he retrieved a bottle of water from his knapsack and something that once could of been described as bread. She saw the smudges on his chest, in the grime on his face. There were splatters on his pants, hidden amongst the camo pattern and probably the main reason no one else had noticed.

“You hurt?”

“Nah. I’m right as rain.” 

“Then who’s blood is that?”

“Coots.” Junkrat didn’t even hesitate, he seemed nonchalant about the entire ordeal, shrugging his shoulders and offering her a goofy smile that showed off his rather pointed canines. Now that he was in the confines of her tent and relatively safe he began wiping the evidence away with a scrap of cloth. 

“Did he attack you?”

“Nah. He was just talkin’, he knew so I had ta shut him up.” Skip was by his side now, taking the cloth from his thin fingers and delicately wiping the blood from around his lips and cheek. He might of been covered in soot and grime, and honestly it might of saved his life when he had reentered the camp. 

“You have to be careful.” Skip urged as she wiped at his cheeks, seeing the sight of the freckles spattering his face for the first time in so long. She forgot underneath all the dirt, soot, petrol and grime that Junkrat was still just a child, still learning his way in the world. His exterior had been hardened by the harsh Australian Outback, he had been forced to mature quicker than other children that lived in the city, today was probably his first step to becoming a vicious Junker like the rest of them.

Skip had seen him kill before, that wasn’t new and really explosions were bound to cause that outcome. But before they had always been defending themselves, their supplies or their camp. This was the first that Skip knew of that he had killed for really no reason at all. She hadn’t seen Coot as a threat, he was probably more insane than many other Junkers and a lot didn’t really listen to his rambling, just enough to humour him. Jamie either jumped the gun or he really thought that Coot had known about the one thing he would risk exposure for. 

“Did you tell him Rat? Did you seal his fate?”

“Probably. Doesn’t matter, it’s done now yeah?”

“Jamie…”

“Junkrat!”

“Fine, Junkrat.” Skip sighed, throwing the dirty bit of cloth she was using to the side. “You have to be careful! You have to keep your mouth shut! Next time you might not be able to talk your way out of it. I can't protect you anymore, I’m stuck here whilst you’re out scavenging. Please, just promise me you’ll keep ya trap shut.”

“Fine. Jeeze you make it seem like you an’ Coot were fuckin’ or somethin’. Ya weren’t were ya?”

“No!” 

“Just askin’. Look I promise I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

Too bad Junkrat was never good at keeping promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble writing the end of this chapter. I felt like I should have split it in two but I just couldn't find the right place to do that. Anyway I hope it's not too confusing, I actually rushed the last part at work today so I could get it up for you guys.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to make an escape

Skip knew how it had happened, the reveal, the scandal, the betrayal. Even the large bounty that had been placed on Junkrat’s head. The kid couldn’t keep his god damn fucking mouth shut! She had begun hearing whispers around their commune whenever she would wander the grounds. Junkers and scavengers whispering beneath their breaths, their eyes trained on her as if she knew exactly what was going on. It wasn’t until she had heard the word treasure and Omnium that she realised that they knew, every single person in this group were in on the secret and that was going to be problematic for the two of them. Skip of course was lopped into Junkrat’s problem, they arrived together, technically she was responsible for him, as much as that had pissed her off in the past. 

This was going to ruin everything they had built here, the supplies, the protection, the community, as corrupted as it was, it had still been their home for the last few years. Skip had gotten to know nearly everyone in the camp, she had her fair share of friendships and partners but somehow she knew that this wasn’t going to work out. It didn’t matter how much they needed her medical knowledge, if Junkrat’s treasure was worth as much as he said it was, they were bound to be hunted and skinned alive for its location. Skip didn’t want to leave, at first she had been miserable, confined to camp and working her arse off for every idiot that couldn’t hold a knife properly. Now, she had become accustomed to her life, the supplies she received were of fairly decent quality, the respect she had earned was always nice, didn’t hurt that she was sleeping with one of the leaders either. 

Junkrat had gone and ruined everything though. She could feel the eyes on her as she made her way back to her tent, hear the harsher whispers and accusations that escaped from the other half mad scavengers. Skip shouldered her way into her tent, her eyes falling on the almost forgotten sledge hammer that leant against her cot. She moved towards it, picking it up in unfamiliar hands, palms no longer marked with callouss to protect her from the harsh grain of the wood. It felt foreign in her hands, as if it was the first day of the apocalypse all over again. Skip wasn’t prepared for this, she wasn’t ready to go back out into the harsh reality of the Outback, she had been spoilt here over the years, it showed. Her body no longer muscled, her features no longer hardened, she wasn’t going to last more than a few days out there in the radioactive wasteland. She was afraid.

Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes, spilling down over her cheeks and leaving clean streaks through the grime on her skin. She wasn’t ready for this decision, she didn’t want to leave, there was still too much here in the commune she could help with. Skip held the sledge loosely in her hands, the object now felt like it didn’t belong, as if she hadn’t spent almost a decade wielding it’s heavy iron head and beating in who ever was stupid enough to get close. There was still blood staining the rich wood of the handle, each spatter, each dent and mark she knew the story behind it, tales of survival that had been buried beneath her recent almost calming life. Skip wasn’t ready to leave, she liked what she had here, but it was only a matter of time. She had sensed the air around the camp slowly become more tense with each passing day, whispers of threats and plots reaching her ears almost every moment. 

In a fit of rage she brought the sledge down onto the canvas of the tent floor, the fabric didn’t tear but there was a dent in the soft ground beneath her feet. Her hands ached, pulling away from the handle she noticed her skin red, little splinters of wood buried into her palm that had become way too delicate over time. Skip fell to her knees a sob escaping her, her shoulders shaking and her eyes pained from tears. She couldn’t remember the last time she had broken down like this, her life normally hadn’t left her room to even think about her own emotions let alone act on them. This was unknown to her and she had never felt so weak in her life since the Outback first went to shit. 

“Skip?” Junkrat’s voice was too close, her blurry vision noticed him in the opening of her tent, there was a flash of light from the outside before he snuck in, closing the flap behind him. He seemed concerned but Skip was never sure anymore, his face was just a twisted source of emotions that getting a clear read on him had become next to impossible. “Skip. We’ve gotta go.”

“This is all your fault!” Skip lunged at him, her sore hands catching his prosthetic, metal and wood firm beneath her fingertips. “We could've stayed, we could've been happy here but you can never shut the fuck up!” 

“Yeah, I know. No use cryin’ over it now. You stay, you die.”

“I fucking hate you. I should've left you to die all those years ago!”

“Ya don’t mean that.” Junkrat muttered, malice in his voice as he hefted Skip up from under her arms, her body weak and swaying beneath his ministrations. “Ya just angry, it’ll all be over soon.”

“You’re selfish! It’s always been about you. What about what I want Rat?”

“Ya wanna stay? Fine, stay! But they’re gonna come after ya. You brought me here and so you’re just as guilty in their eyes!”

“It’s not fair.” Skip awkwardly grasped the knapsack that was shoved into her arms, her tears had stopped, her eyes puffy and red. Logically she knew he was right, that she would be prosecuted just like he would be if they were caught. She was angry that Junkrat opened his mouth to begin with but what was done was done, there was no other option now. The sledge hammer once more being forced into her pained hands caused everything to snap into place, this was no time to wallow in the life she was losing, this was a chance to live again, to not be torn to pieces by crazy Junkers.

“You right now?”

“Yeah. Lets get the fuck outta here. What’s your plan?”

“Uh… Well you ain’t gonna like it.” Well he wasn’t wrong. Skip hated this idea. She hated his bombs, his obsession with them, there was no way this was going to work. As the two of them made their way through the commune Skip could see the eyes focusing on them. Junkrat seemed more nervous than usual, a tremor ran through him , his right hand clutching his launcher too tightly, the left danced near his belt where she knew his detonator hung. 

“Rat…”

“Just act natural.” Junkrat grinned, his lips pulled back in that awkward smile that showed too many teeth. They had left the tented area, moving more towards the outskirts where the Junkers had their bedrolls and honestly it was probably the most dangerous part of their little camp. From what Skip could see there weren’t that many others around, probably out doing their jobs, she didn’t know it but Jamie had been thinking about their exit longer than she gave him credit for.

“They’re noticing us.”

“So. Come on Skip, it ain’t like we haven’t hung out before yeah?” Junkrat nudged her slightly, a soft elbow into her side that caused her to pull her attention away from the other Junkers around them. He was right, they didn’t spend every waking minute together but they were in each others company a lot, nothing about this should be considered a strange occurrence. 

“Who’s the shelia Rat?” A twitchy little Junker approached them, they were smaller than Rat, probably younger too and with the rough chopped hair and rather modest clothes for a Junker, Skip couldn’t see whether this was a young boy or a young girl. It didn’t matter anyway, it was just a shock to see someone that could have been no older than fourteen on the outskirts of town. Their face was covered in acne scars, Skip watching as the young child scratched and picked at them to keep their hands busy.

“Dev! You’ve met Skip surely.”

“Can’t say I have.”

“Well got no time for introductions. We gotta be on our way ya know?”

“Where ya goin’?” The young Junker seemed to eye them suspiciously, Skip froze, her hand seeking out Jamie’s shoulder and giving it a tight squeeze. He shrugged her off with a pointed look, his eyes focused and his features serious, an odd look for him she was sure.

“Out huntin’. Do I need permission off ya or somethin’?”

“Ya don’t take the nurse huntin’… You’re fuckin’ running ain’t ’cha?”

Skip tensed, Junkrat sneered at the younger scavenger, his hand reeled back and he punched the young child straight in their face. Dev screamed and staggered back, blood gushing from their nose as they choked out a cry. Jamie didn’t give them any time to recover, he pushed harshly on Dev’s shoulders and turned to grasp Skip’s wrist and tugging her towards him on his uneven gait. The two of them were attracting attention of the other Junkers, there weren’t as many on the outskirts of town as there normally were and Skip thanked her lucky stars that Junkrat had at least thought his escape plan out slightly. Any compliments she was about to send his way were silenced in the brief moment she saw what was clutched in his left hand.

“What the fuck is that!?”

“Our escape.”

“Are you insane? You’ll blow us sky high!”

“That’s the point Skip! Trust me.”

“Fuck no!”

“Skip just fuckin’ trust me!” Junkrat growled as he watched the other Scavengers he had once called friends turn on them, their faces eager, their weapons drawn. “This is it Skip. Fire in the hole!” 

He had only been able to escape their camp with Skip when he had thrown out a trip mine, he had grabbed her close to him and used the explosive blast to create some distance between the two of them and the other Junkers. He had lobbed his cherry bombs behind him, Skip pulling on his free arm to lead him into the day. They didn’t eat for days, they didn’t even rest, they simply kept moving with nothing but the barren wasteland, scrap and the red dirt to keep them company. They had spent most of it hiding, sleeping during the day and travelling at night where it was much safer. He had never felt more exhilarated in his life, finally he had something that was worth it, alright it came with the downside of others trying to kill him but it wasn't all bad. 

“Hey Skip, ya'd never actually kill me right mate?”

“Don't be ridiculous, of course not. I wouldn't of tried to keep your stupid arse alive so long just to kill you and steal what ever the fuck you have.”

“Thanks mate, that means a lot.”

“Yeah well you'll have to fend for yourself one day.”

“Never! That's what you're for right?”

Skip smiled in reply, he seemed to take it as a positive answer and giggled as he offered her a thumbs up. Travelling with Junkrat wasn't the easiest thing, he talked a lot, he twitched and giggled, he wanted to explode something constantly and if he went a few days without the thrill he was barely manageable company. Skip was getting tired of this bullshit, but every time she looked at Jamie she knew she couldn't abandon him, there was just something about his naive yet unstable behaviour that made her smile, made her want to protect him from the world. 

Growing up in the Outback sucked, she remembered her parents telling her that once upon a time, Australia's coast was where ninety percent of the population lived. As it became more crowded slowly people started to move inland, cattle farmers selling off plots of red dirt for a hefty profit. It had been Australia's boom, the country had never been better off, of course all that had changed with the Omnic crisis. Now the Outback was nothing but irradiated animals, scraps of metal and thick hot air that slowly poisoned the residents that refused to leave. Some like Jamie grew up here, they didn't know any better, they didn't know the world outside of the heat and the dirt, the struggle and the will to survive. One day she hoped that changed for him, that he would be able to leave Australia and actually see what the rest of the world was actually like. 

“We should find somewhere to rest. It's going to be mornin' soon and we'll need some time to lay some traps.”

“Right. Well ain't there some sort of farm round here somewhere, I think I remember passing it back in the days we use ta listen to ol' Drew.”

“Probably. I'd love to get out of this heat for once. I swear this sun is gonna cook me red raw before the radiation does.”

Junkrat giggled madly, his uneven gait led them towards the setting sun, the light blinding his eyes but the tell tale sign of an old shed on the horizon promising comfort. There was a possibility it was already occupied, but with slim pickings they didn't really have the choice to turn it away. To their luck the only things inside were a few lizards and spiders, both things being squashed quickly to make room for them. They had set up traps around the perimeter, a few mines buried in the sand and some barbed wire low enough to tangle some ankles. It would keep them safe enough or alert them to any oncoming intruders. 

“You're a wanted man Jamie. You're going to get yourself fuckin’ killed eventually. Is this thing really worth it?”

“Are you fuckin’ kidding me? Of course it is. I ain't draggin’ you around the continent just cause I like ya company. This thing is gonna make us rich!”

“Us?”

“Well yeah, I mean let's face it, without ya I would've probably died more than once.” He fell silent as she watched him count on his hands, she spotted his fingers moving with each incident. “I would've died like six times. Six! This should be enough ta even the score don't ya think?”

“You're an idiot Rat, but that's why I love ya!” Junkrat froze, his amber coloured eyes wide at her words. He hadn't heard someone say that to him since his parents had left and never come home. A small smile tugged at his mouth, one that wasn't filled with his manic energy, all of that seemed to drain from his mind when he looked at Skip. He slid down the wall, his hands running through his patchy hair as a breath escaped past his lips. 

“Love ya too.” His voice much more meek than Skip was use to. She ruffled his hair as she passed before moving to the other side of the room to settle. She didn't want to make the situation any more awkward and Junkrat appreciated that. Looking back on his life with Skip he knew he saw her as a mother figure, she was too young for that of course but the way she made sure he took care of himself reminded him of something paternal. He couldn't really imagine his life without her, she had pulled him through some pretty dark times and taught him almost everything he knew. 

“Try and get some sleep Jamie.”

“Hey-uh-Skip... What's your real name? I mean I don't want ta pry or anythin' but I just realised I don't know. I mean I've only known ya as Skip and ya know it's only fair, you know mine, hell ya've known me since I was a tyke.”

“Stop rambling Rat.” Skip chuckled as she tossed a small stone at him, trying to get his attention and eyes focused back on her. “Catherine.”

“Really? That's, nice. I see why ya like Skip. Catherine sounds like a real posh name ya know?”

“Yeah, hence why I don't use it. Skips much easier to yell out in a pinch. Now get some sleep. I'll keep the first watch.”

“Yeah yeah alright. G'night, well uh g'day I guess.”

“Shut up and sleep you little shit.”

“Right.” Junkrat smiled leaning back against the wall and trying to get his body to relax. He thought about unclamping his prosthetic but he was too fucking tired and too lazy to attempt the buckles and pins. His sleep was light, twisted with dreams of his treasure and nightmares of his enemies. He jerked awake a few times, he always found Skip up, watching their makeshift little camp and alert as always, he offered to take over a few times but was denied. Sleep was so elusive sometimes. 

\---

“Rat, get up!” Skip's hand was firm on his shoulder shaking him awake gently and her voice was hushed, her finger to her mouth indicating that he should be quiet too. “You have to go.”

“What, why?”

“Bikes. The Enforcers are coming.”

Those words sent a chill through his skinny frame, causing dread to pool in his empty stomach. Junkrat had never encountered the enforcers before but he had heard enough growing up to know that they weren't a bunch to mess with. Not every encounter with them resulted in bloodshed but ninety percent did and that caused his hair to bristle along his neck. They were just a bunch of bounty hunters, enforcing laws that didn't exist, extracting payments when needed and instilling fear into the locals. Well it definitely worked. 

“What 'bout you mate?”

“Don't worry about me Rat. I'll meet up with you at the old petrol station, just remember to stay low ok?”

“Yeah yeah I get it. Why can't ya come with?”

“Cause someone's gotta throw them off your trail and you have to have your treasure as far away from here as possible. Just go alright, I'll be fine, I won't even be worth their time.”

“Alright. Just don't do anything stupid.”

'I'll be on me best behaviour.” Skip mocked with a wink, she handed him her flask, the water sloshing loudly within it. “Take this, you might need it if you have to run.”

“Thanks.” Junkrat ducked out the back of the old farm, he stayed crouched against the house, his eyes scanning the horizon for the cloud of dirt that was sure to be kicked up by the bikes. He'd have to sneak away when they were occupied when they wouldn't be able to see his hunched limping form. He hoped Skip was going to be alright, his mantra for her to stay safe repeated in his mind as he heard the deafening roar of the engines coming closer. 

The Enforcers were coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not sure if you guys would be interested in a short chapter regarding what happens to Skip or do you just want me to hop straight into the chapter where Rat meets Hog?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is only short. It was just to show you guys what happens to Skip.  
> Thank you everyone for all the lovely comments! You guys are the best <3

Skip tried not to look threatening, she remained unarmed as the low rumbling of the various vehicles cut off and the heavy footsteps of the Enforcers approached her hiding place. She knew they were after Junkrat, him being unable to keep quiet about his find and news had spread quickly all the way to Junkertown. She knew those arseholes were just waiting to screw someone over and claim Jamie’s treasure for themselves. Skip had encountered the Enforcers once before, when she had briefly resided in Junkertown. Their shoot first and ask questions later routine was highly recognised amongst the other citizens, it was a good way to keep a group of unruly people in line. Having your people frightened to make a move or question the rules was a good way to keep the town running smoothly. It had never really been Skip’s thing, and when she had been caught stealing alcohol from a bar at sixteen she had been forced to flee Junkertown. The Enforcers had chased her for awhile, roughing her up and properly scaring her half to shit, but they hadn’t done any lasting damage.

“Fellas! How ya goin’?” Skip greeted when the first Enforcer shouldered through the door way, a large man covered in tattoos seemed to eye her slowly, studying her for any sign of a weapon. “I’m unarmed, no qualms there I know my boundaries.”

There were four of them, three men and a woman, all built like brick shit houses and between them they filled the small hiding place rather quickly. She felt like she had been shoved into a sardine can, the smell of their body odour quickly filled the small shack practically staining her nostrils and she had to fight the urge to cover her nose. Probably best not to piss them off. Skip could still hear the rumbling of a bike outside, it meant that there was one more, scanning the perimeter for any sign of traps. Fuck she hoped Jamie made it out alright. 

“What can I do for you fine gentlemen and uh-lady today?”

“Where is he?” That voice. Skip knew that voice, she would never forget it for as long as she lived. Ingrained in her memory leaving a nasty residue on everything it touched. She dodged around the side of the large muscular woman, she could see the doorway and a familiar figure stood there. His hair was receding, his face littered with scars and a large machete was balanced on his shoulder.

“Well hello Baz.”

“Skip. Where’s your little Rat?”

“Dunno mate. He fled the compound when he found his treasure, left me in the dust the ungrateful little cunt.” Skip shrugged before having to regain her balance when one of the Enforcers bumped into her. “Oi, watch it.”

“Funny. ‘cause I have word that you two left together. Now who to believe? One lying bitch, or a commune of Junkers that just want what’s theirs… hard decision huh?”

“Must be very difficult for you. You’ve never been one to make smart decisions right Baz?”

“I’m not the one surrounded in a shanty in the middle of fuckin’ nowhere.”

“Well, yeah you’re right about that. You don’t seriously lead these Enforcers do ya? Who’d listen to a cunt like you?”

“What can I say. I’m a people person.”

“Yeah just like ya were with Drew huh? I’m sure he appreciated all ya help.”

“Enough catching up, down to business. Where’s Junkrat?” Baz smirked as the large tattooed man and the female Enforcer grasped her by the elbows sufficiently restraining her. “I know you’ve been travelling with him. Kinda hard to not see those distinctive prints he leaves.”

“Then you should have no problem trackin’ him then.” An Enforcer clutched at Skip’s shoulder, their fingers squeezing tight and causing her to flinch uncomfortably. She was upsetting them with her answers, she was going to have to watch her tongue before she ended up fucking shot.

“So he’s been spotted leaving the camp with you, your trail ends here. So where is he?” Baz closed the distance between the two of them, his face inches from Skips and she had to fight back the urge to sneer at him. Things hadn’t ended well between the two of them, she had never and would never forgive him for Drew’s death, but she knew that Baz was a force to be reckoned with. The fact that he had aligned himself with the Enforcers meant he now posed a bigger threat than before, she should've killed him when she had the chance.

“I told ya, I don’t know. Taken off into the day I suppose. He got all weird after I asked him to share his treasure with me.” Skips eyes briefly swept up and down Baz, she noticed not only the machete but there were two grenades and a scrap gun tied to his belt. They were all much better armed than herself, she was going to have to talk her way out, fighting was off the table.

“Do ya know where his treasure is?”

“No.” An Enforcer squeezed her shoulder causing her to let out a cry of pain. “I said I didn’t know. I ain’t lying! If you hadn’t burst in here maybe I coulda gotten more information outta him.”

“I thought ya said he left.”

“He did. But ya know you guys aren’t exactly quiet what with those hogs of yours.”

Baz’s hand connected with her face, Skip reeled back the best she could clutched between the two massive Enforcers. She swore, spitting blood onto the hard wood floor and feeling the numbing sting from where her lip had split. Her eyes were glaring daggers at Baz, his cocky grin making his scarred face seem even more unbearable. The Enforcers chuckled around her, laughing at a joke she neither heard nor got, their mocking tones fuelling a rage within her long since forgotten. 

“Want to talk now?”

“You’re awfully cocky for an arsehole hiding behind your entourage, too scared to face me on your own?”

“Do you really think I would fall for that?” Baz chuckled, his hand caressing her cheek almost delicately.

“Well you were always quick to anger.” Skip muttered as she tried to pull away from his touch.

“Well if you’re not going to be useful…” Baz grinned, a sickening smile spreading across his grizzled features. Skip felt her stomach drop, looking into his eyes, feeling the grip of the Enforcers tighten on her elbows.

“Wait! Please.” Their grip slackened, the muscles in Skip’s arms thankful for their lighter hold. She staggered but was kept on her feet, Baz just a few inches from her face. Skip swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat, dry and itchy and choking her when all she wanted to do was spit at Baz and kill him for what he had done to Drew and what he was probably going to do to Junkrat. 

The Enforcers were not to be reckoned with, and although their numbers had dwindled, most leaving Junkertown to pursue their own ideals, some had stuck around. Every single one of them in this room could probably tear Skip apart limb from limb. She had been a big shot once upon a time, but compared to these gargantuan specimens Skip was nothing but fodder. She was going to die, and honestly that thought terrified her, she wasn’t ready to embrace death, she had only just experienced her life again. Sure she had spent it on the run with Junkrat, the two of them having nothing else but each others company. That was difficult in itself to deal with on occasions, but hunting and running and hiding; Skip had never felt more alive. 

“You’re no more use to me shelia.” Baz sneered, his hand tightening his grip around the machete as he lowered it before her, letting her eyes adjust to the dull blade that had begun to rust over time. She remembered holding that blade, watching it slowly hack through skin, muscles and bone. She never wanted to see the uneven edge again, or be on the receiving side of it. It was pressed against her throat, she could feel the heated metal against her grimy skin, swallowing past the lump that had formed practically choking her. 

“Wait!”

“You’ve had plenty of chances Skip.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again guys. 
> 
> Also Roadhog is in the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Junkrat meets Roadhog.
> 
> Finally.
> 
> Also Chapter is up much quicker because the last chapter was so short.

Junkrat slumped against the petrol pump, he had managed to drain a few drops from the mechanism, storing it in a container for later, would come in handy for a new bomb. He had planted traps around the place but he had stayed clear of explosives, it wouldn't help to blow himself up. What was left of the store was very minimal but Junkrat managed to find a few things that could be useful, some scraps and oil that would always come in handy. There was a half crushed packet of smokes and a lighter that he had taken too, never knew when he could bargain them away. The sun was hot, causing the air to shimmer and dance a foot above the red dirt, he had gotten here a few hours ago and he had no idea how long he was suppose to wait for Skip, she would come though, he knew it. 

The air began to chill as the sun began to set, Junkrat thankful for the respite from the blazing temperature. He stood slowly to head inside, he wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb that way. He practically collapsed to the floor, launcher beside him as he unhooked his prosthetic, buckles and pins complaining against his movements. One day he was going to have to design one he could just snap on and off, it would make it much quicker and simpler, not to mention the few extra seconds could save his life one day. Sighing he slotted those thoughts away for another day, his mind flagging it as important, his right now though he needed sleep. Skip would be fine. 

The loud ka-chunk of a trap closing caused his eyes to snap open, his breath hitching in his throat. Scrambling for his leg, Rat attempted to connect it as quick as possible, the last buckle sliding into place as he stood and grasped his launcher. His eyes studied the darkness, he could see the trap and could see clearly that there was nothing in it. Stupid fucking animals. Huffing out a breath Junkrat slid back down to the floor, running a hand through his dishevelled hair in an attempt to calm his nerves. He was simply getting too jumpy now and when he got like this he over reacted and stopped paying attention to his surroundings. Skip would know what to do. Oh fuck what if she got caught in a trap? No she wouldn't, she was smarter than that. 

Trying to relax again Junkrat took a deep breath, he kept his prosthetic on this time, his right hand grasping the launcher his left hugging the knapsack to his side. It was empty of course, he had actually buried the treasure, but clutching at the semi empty bag made him remember, made him never forget his prize. This was going to be all worth it one day, he was going to be filthy rich, he could leave the Outback once and for all, maybe move to a more higher class area, like Sydney. Grinning like a fool he closed his eyes again, sighing out his nerves and frustration as sleep ate away at his consciousness.

—-

“Wakey, wakey little rat.” A gruff voice pierced the darkness. 

Junkrat blinked blearily against his fatigue, his mind slowly registering his body. He realised a few things, his launcher and knapsack were no longer in his arms, in fact his hands were tied at the wrist in his lap. Another was that his prosthetic wasn't attached and that thought caused his eyes to open and anger to flare through him. Gaze burning with fire he looked to his so called captor, a large man, in height and body and Junkrat rose a brow as he took him all in, and there was a lot to see. Rounded tattooed stomach, beefy arms that ended in hands that could crush his skull, the gun, the hook, greying hair and a black leather gas mask. It was stitched crudely into the threatening face of a hog. Junkrat had never been more fearful and more angry in his entire life. There was a little voice in his mind telling him to stay still and silent, shame that Rat never listened. 

“You fuckin' prick! What gives you the right to remove a guys leg! That's fucked up that's what it is! Who the hell do you think you are cunt?”

“Shut up.” His voice sounded like someone had poured gravel down his gullet. 

“Where the fuck is my launcher. When I get that back I'm gonna fuckin' give you a right show mate, you ain't gonna know what hit ya!”

“I said shut up.”

“Seriously I'm gonna tear your throat out ya wanker! I'm gonna-“ The man's hands slammed against the wall beside Junkrat's head, successfully silencing him for a moment as he looked up at the larger man, fight still in his eyes. “That suppose ta scare me?”

A huff as the man pulled away. Junkrat could see that he had disarmed him, the launcher and his prosthetic were both laying on the counter top, his knapsack had been dumped on the floor with its belongings scattered across the tiles. Junkrat knew this guy had heard the rumours, knew that he had the treasure but when he couldn't find it he had been forced to actually interact with Rat. A giggle escaped him, quietly at first before it bubbled past his lips in full mania, the man turning to him confused. Junkrat found it hard to read the man's face, his body language was very stoic and it was driving him more crazy than usual. 

“Find what you're lookin' for mate?”

“You're Junkrat are you not?”

“I don't know what the fuck ya talkin' about. I'm just some poor soul you decided to rob and now your pissed that I don't have anythin' of value.” Junkrat watched as the man lifted his launcher as if to show it off and he immediately bristled. “Hey that's mine! Ya meat hands wouldn't be able to use it!”

“Where is it?”

“Where's what?” Junkrat laughed hysterically when the man's fists smashed into the counter causing his leg and gun to bounce comically on the wooden surface. 

“You know what I'm talking about.”

“Can't say that I do.” A thick meaty hand wrapped around his throat, the grip squeezed, his breath wheezing in and out of his lungs. Tears formed in the corner of Rat's eyes, his throat aching his screams only rasping breaths as he thrashed against the bigger man. When stars began to dance in his vision, the grip lightened just enough for him to suck in a breath before they tightened again. The man knew what he was doing, keeping Junkrat just on the verge of consciousness, his body wanting to pass out but being allowed a breath to stay awake just in time. 

“Where is it?”

“I-I don't 'ave... it on... me.”

“Where is it?”

“Kill me... Ya’ll never know.” The behemoth of a man grunted and his meaty hand let go of Junkrat, the small man taking a much needed breath of air. There was a sickening dark bruise forming around his thin throat already, skin smudged with soot and red from the pressure. Junkrat was pissed, his fire like eyes staring daggers into the larger man as he rubbed gingerly at his stinging skin. “You're an Enforce ey?”

“…”

“Ya look like one mate, wanna kill me like one too.”

“…”

“Although everyone wants ta kill me now days.”

“…”

“Not much of a talker now aren't ya? I respect that.” Junkrat looked over to the counter top, raising his hands, still bound, to the prosthetic. “How about ya give me leg back and we'll strike up a deal.”

“No.”

Junkrat frowned, watching the heavier man wander around the room, inspecting what was left to scavenge probably. It was a harsh life out here and no one turned away an opportunity if they knew what was good for them. True words, Junkrat knew in particular because every drongo and his mutt was after him right now. 

“How'd ya get past me traps?” At this he watched the larger man bristle, his shoulders tense and those soulless eyes of the mask boring into him. 

“You almost cut my fucking leg off ya little cunt.”

“Probably serves you right, sneakin' up on a man mid snooze. No respect anymore that's the problem. The world went ta shit and peoples’ fucking manners went with it.” Junkrat giggled, a manic grin on his features as he leant back against the shelves and simply laughed. 

“'Will you shut up if I give your fucking leg back.”

“Sure thing. I'll be as silent as death. Funny saying that ey?”  The leg hit Junkrat square in the chest, his grenades digging into his skin as a breath was forced from his lungs. Frowning, Jamie began to shift, rolling his pant leg up the best he could with his hands tied. It was a bit slower than normal, his body twisting in ways it didn't normally have to but within minutes his leg was attached, he gave it an experimental kick hearing the comforting squeak of his knee joint. “Thanks mate.”

“…”

Junkrat took his time to explore the room with his eyes, looking for anything he could use to help him out of this situation. His hands were tied, literally, yet he still had movement. His leg was back and if he could distract the big lug he could probably make a run for it, maybe lead him into one of his buried traps. The man didn't appear to be of the fast type, but Rat had learned early on that looks could be very deceiving. His detonator was with his launcher and that was very disheartening, maybe he could just wait for Skip, she was still on her way and she would spot this man as a threat. 

“Hey I know ya told me to shut up, but you didn't happen to run into a girl did ya? Bout thirty, looks forty, short dishevelled brown hair, carries a hammer.”

“No.”

“Oh... So you aren't with the Enforcers?”

“I grow impatient.”

“You an' me both. You ready to listen to my proposal now big guy?”

“No.”

“Oh come on! It's a good one. It involves payment.”

“…”

“I'm thinkin', cause I'm being real generous here, but I'm thinkin' ya know why everyones after me right? Of course ya do, wouldn’t have taken the job otherwise, you’re a man of money I can see that. I bet’cha I can pay ten times better than whatever cunts ya working for. What ya say mate, we have a deal? I’ll split it with ya. Fifty-fifty. I could use someone as fucking frightenin' as you to look after me arse.” The man watched him, well Junkrat assumed he was watching him because that mask was turned in his general direction. He seemed to be contemplating the offer, which was a good thing he supposed, if it saved his skin and continued to be profitable in that aspect then Jamie was all for it. He knew he should have been more worried about Skip, but if she wasn't here by now then there was a large chance the Enforcers had killed her. He'd have to put that on his list of things to do, kill those responsible for her death. 

“Deal.”

“Great! Alright mate how about you cut these ties and then we get moving yeah? I was suppose to wait here but I think it's a lost cause now.” Junkrat held out his bound hands, the man approaching him and slicing through the rope with his rusted hook. On closer inspection Jamie realised that wasn't rust but dried blood on it's shining surface. Well fuck. “Can I have my launcher back now... uh please?”

“You try anything and I will gut you. Are we clear?”

“Crystal!” Jamie grasped his launcher and trigger, making sure to safely holster both so the larger man wouldn't feel threatened by him. Oh wait until he saw what Junkrat could do! “What's ya name? I mean I could always call ya Kiwi if ya want.”

“Roadhog.”

“Cute. I get it cause of the tat right?.” Junkrat grinned tapping the side of the Roadhog's gut with the back of his hand. “Hog it is. Let's get the fuck out of here before those Enforcers come lookin' for me.”

Roadhog groaned. This was a bad idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed. I hope I have Roadhog's character alright. I'm trying to find a balance with how much I actually have him talking.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junkrat and Roadhog have to learn to cooperate if they're going to become partners.

Junkrat knew this day was coming, he couldn’t buy Roadhog’s cooperation on false hopes and promises alone. He was going to have to let the ex-Enforcer see what he held dearest, that way Hog wouldn’t leave him to rot in the sun and be eaten by dingoes. Fuck he hated those things, as if on cue his peg leg groaned beneath his weight as he stepped onto the uneven dirt beneath their feet. If Hog didn’t know any better he could have sworn Junkrat was leading him somewhere to die. The terrain was uneven, the juts of jagged metal dotted the landscape and in the distance one could see the collapsed remains of the Omnium.

Roadhog scowled beneath his mask, the ruined scrap was just another reminder of the stupid things he had done in his youth. How misguided and idiotic the whole Liberation Front had been. They should of left well enough alone, let the Omnics have the peace offering and land they had been given. No, they had to try and take their land back, fight for what they thought was right. The explosion of the fusion core had created more problems than it had solved, things were still tense with the Omnics. The radiation that soaked the land and the scraps that littered the once beautiful horizon had turned the Outback into nothing but a harsh wasteland. 

Roadhog looked at Junkrat, watching the man limp across the uneven terrain, this kid had not known anything else but what he saw now. He didn’t know how old his new employer was, but judging by his mental age Hog would have guessed in his twenties at least, although Rat looked like he could pass for a fucking old man. The patchy hair, sun marked skin, even his thin shallow face, all of them either a result from his rather perilous craft or the radiation slowly seeping in through every pore it could. Roadhog caught up when Rat had stopped, his amber eyes scanning the horizon, his fingers in his mouth with a frown on his face. Oh God please let him know where he was going.

“Don’t do that.” Hog grumbled, swatting Rat’s little hand away from his face with a snarl. His boss grumbled in return baring his teeth like a rabid dog. “You’ll get sick.”

“Whatever.” Junkrat shoved his hands into his pockets looking out from their perch atop the rocky precipice. He was muttering beneath his breath turning on his heel as if to survey his surroundings better. 

“You do know where you’re going don’t you?”

“Of course Roadie… I just-” Rat looked to his hulking body guard, his hands now twisting before him in what could only be described as a nervous tick. Jamie noticed that Hog didn’t say anything, just stared at him with those soulless eyes, his laboured breathing punctuating the silence between them. “Well it’s just… ya know we’re comin’ up on dingo territory an’ all.”

“You scared of ‘em?”

“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me? ‘Course I am. Those fuckers are the reason I’m fuckin’ a pirate from the thigh down. Look I made it through before alright, just hopin’ this time ya have me back otherwise no ones gettin’ me treasure.” 

Junkrat seemed to have two settings. He was either giggling like a mad man with no abandon or he was frothing with rage and ready to rip someone’s throat out. Roadhog studied the younger man, his masked face hiding every single emotion and thought that could easily be read by his expressions alone. Junkrat was twitching beside him, his face contorted in something that could be identified as embarrassment. His freckles stood out more when his skin was flushed, nothing the soot and ash could hide but he definitely wasn’t going to be pointing that out to his new boss. Unless he wanted him to blow a fuse and back out of their whole deal.

“Don’t do that!” Roadhog growled swatting Junkrat’s hand away from his mouth for the second time in so many minutes. This was more like a baby sitting gig than an actual body guard job. “What are we waiting for?”

“For me to gather my courage? For ya to stop telling me what to do? Who’s the boss in this fuckin’ relationship?”

“Partnership.” 

“What ever! Hope the Omnium can support your fat arse ya heifer.” Junkrat sneered, baring his pointed teeth as he punched Roadhog in the arm. It took everything in the larger man not to reach out and choke that thin little neck.

“The Omnium?”

“Oh you scared of it?” Junkrat teased. “Don’t worry your pretty little face Hoggie, it’s safe enough, the radiation ain’t as bad as everyone says it is. I’m sure the twisted metal can support ya! Oh come on don’t look at me like that. It’s just a joke.”

“…”

“Alright fine ya scaredy cat. I’ll go myself, meet ya back here yeah?” This was too much trust too quickly for Roadhog. He did not want Rat running off on his own, especially when he was going out to find his treasure. A lot had heard about his amazing find in the heart of the Omnium but everyone Roadhog had talked to hadn’t been able to describe it or even say what they thought it was. It was completely possible that the twitchy little fuck could go find some useless piece of scrap and simply say it was his treasure. Roadhog wasn’t stupid of course but he too had no idea what he was looking for. He reached out, his massive hand falling on Junkrat’s shoulder and the smaller man faltered in his steps, a stretched grin across his features.

“You decided to tag along ‘ey mate? Well ya better keep ya wits about ya, and if a fuckin’ dingo gets me I’m blamin’ you, ya hear?” Junkrat received a grunt in response but that was really all he could ask for. Roadhog was going to make this trek a lot easier, he had forgotten what it was like to have someone watching his back. Honestly he had jumped ship from Skip to the large man rather quickly but where Skip had been clever in avoiding problems, Roadhog was quite happy to meet them head on. The large ex-Enforcer was going to be a part of a beautiful partnership, well he would once Junkrat showed him what he would be waiting around for, his payment.

“Why’d ya bury it?” Roadhog wheezed, Rat watching for the first time intrigued as the larger man forced large breaths threw his mask and into his lungs.

“Well, can count on both hands how many times someone would’ve killed me for me treasure, this way it’s another barterin’ system yeah? Besides who the fuck would think to look for it where I found it?”

The Junker had a point, but Roadhog was stunned that the little rat had been able to think up of anything regarding a plan. True, he didn’t know much about his young employer other than the fact that he was completely mad, but what he had shown so far, Junkrat was nothing but resourceful and willing to do anything to survive. Grunting at the thought, Roadhog used one of his massive hands to steady himself on the small decline, sand and red dirt slipping beneath his booted feet. He watched as Rat seemed to have no trouble at all, digging the peg of his leg deep into each crevice before navigating further down the hill. The dirt beneath them was much harder at the bottom of the gully, years of rocks and sand compacted on top of one another had made the terrain more clay like. The place probably filled with infectious poisonous water when it rained, although Roadhog hadn’t experienced something like that in years, the Outback suffering from severe drought which was probably better than the couple of hundred millimetres of acid rain they could receive instead. 

Junkrat was hobbling in front of him, his bright eyes scanning the walls, looking for something that Roadhog couldn’t see. He wondered briefly whether the Junker had marked his way back to his treasure and if so he had done a good job, Hog couldn’t really see anything that seemed to be unnatural. They started veering north, closer to the Omnium and it’s ruined remains, not to mention closer to the rock cliffs and plateaus that were known to be the vicious territory of the dingos. Honestly Roadhog never had a problem with the local wildlife, even to the most starving creature he was too intimidating to want to scrap with. Junkrat on the other hand looked like an easy target, his hobbling slow gait, his chattering mouth, he was just begging for the attention. 

“Right so the plan is that we go in there, I show you the spot then we get out. No need to take it with us I suppose, unless ya know a better place to hide it? I mean might be useful to have ya actually guard it but how do I know that ya ain’t gonna run off of with it and back to your old fuckin’ employers ey? I don’t know a fuckin’ thing about ya an’ here I am showing you me greatest asset.”

“Do you ever shut up?” Roadhog went ignored as Junkrat continued to ramble absolute nonsense. He heard the other bring up that name again, Skip, he was aways muttering about Skip. Roadhog assumed that had been the name of the twitchy Junker’s last partner and curiously he wanted to know what had happened to her. Wouldn’t be surprised if she had run off to escape the incessant rambling. 

“What if we can’t take it with us? Do we just leave it here or do ya have a place ya could stash it? Big guy like you must have a hideout somewhere, ya know where ya keep all ya shit. Can’t be livin’ on the road every second can ya?”

Roadhog rolled his eyes beneath the safety of his leather mask, he had to smother the urge to reach out and wrap his fingers around the little shit’s throat and squeeze until the talking stopped. He was going to have to learn to drown him out, smother him with white noise if this partnership was ever going to work out. Roadhog had a feeling that he wasn’t going to last more than a month, god only knew it wasn’t going to be him checking out early though. He had played the body guard before though, plenty of times and it wasn’t his fault if his employer at the time was completely stupid. Some liked to take risks more than others and although Roadhog had always tried his best to be there sometimes accidents happened. 

His deal with the Junker wasn’t exactly official. They were working together on assumptions. Junkrat assumed Roadhog would protect him with his life, meanwhile Roadhog was in it for what he assumed to be a rather large payout. If this _thing_ proved to be worthless then he was going to hook the little Rat’s guts out and watch him squirm. Roadhog’s eyes travelled to the Junker, he was bent low in the dirt and looking at the small rocks on the ground, wasn’t his hiding place in the Omnium? Why did he need all these useless markers then? He wasn’t going to say anything though, it wasn’t his job nor did he really care. 

“Right so dingo territory yeah? An’ I don’t mean that group of Junkers that call ‘emselves that. I’m talkin’ bout the actual fuckin’ animals. Need ta be exterminated the lot of ‘em. Ya got my back Roadie?” Junkrat yelped as a large hand reach forward and grasped at his arm, fingers crushing around his wrist and pulling him towards the intimidating man. Junkrat squirmed, swore and tried to push away, but he was a rag doll in Roadhog’s grip, the larger man moving him aside as his scrap gun lowered, a shot rang out and on the dried cracked soil was a taipan, the snake blown to fucking pieces. 

“Just fuckin’ shut up and let me do my job.”

“Uh-yeah sure thing mate, sorry… Guess I wasn’t lookin’ where I was goin’” A pointed glare from Roadhog caused Junkrat to shut up, the smaller man moving to stand beside him, looking up at that faceless mask. “Right, well we keep headin’ north then veer towards the east when we get to the outskirts of the Omnium. Don’t look at me like that ya bastard, I ain’t stupid enough ta hide it where I found it, I just tell people that cause not everyone is brave enough ta go to the Omnium. It’s nearby though, I guess if the radiation won’t scare people off then the fuckin’ wildlife will.”

The terrain around them began to change, from the rising gullies and sandbanks that were probably once upon a time river beds, to the flat desolate landscape that Roadhog knew well. Where one could look for kilometres in any direction and see nothing but scrub and sand, this was the Outback that the people of the world thought of when they mentioned Australia. Days could soar in temperature under the blazing summer sun, the nights could drop below freezing. What was once a flat desolate landscape was now filtered with the odd shapes of metal and scrap, the foliage all gone, blasted away by the explosion that had torn apart the Omnium’s fusion core. There was movement amongst the scrap on the horizon, whether it was the wildlife or something much worse Roadhog was unsure. 

The larger man looked down, watching with interest as Junkrat retrieved a canister from his belt, there were small red circular objects bouncing around within it. Rat connected the canister to his launcher, priming the weapon by pulling back on the gear stick and Hog realised that this little twitchy Junker had built a weapon from scraps and explosives. Not every Junker was as resourceful and those that couldn’t adjust to the scavenging way of life sooner perished than the others. He was impressed, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud. The kid obviously knew his way around his craft, although he had never seen him in action, but the promise was there and honestly Roadhog couldn’t wait to see how capable this kid was.

“Alright Roadie, I’m just gonna head up here,” Junkrat indicated to the last rocky outcropping behind them. “I’ll scan the area.”

The twitchy little Junker said nothing else, moving away from Roadhog and letting him do nothing other than watch. Hog won’t lie, his heart skipped a beat as he saw Junkrat’s method of gaining the high ground. That was a mine, an honest to god trip mine and the stupid little fuck was going to use it to gain ground. This might be the shortest contract Roadhog had ever accepted. Junkrat proved him wrong, his peg firmly on the mine’s surface as he pushed the detonator. The explosive blast forced him in the right direction, his thin little arms scrambling at the rock’s edge when his aim was a little off. Roadhog squinted against the glare, the sun reflecting off the glass lenses of his mask, eyes trained on Junkrat, just waiting for the other to do something stupid and end this contract much quicker than he thought. 

Junkrat was fine, pulling himself up and steadying his uneven feet against the rock surface. He could see the vacant mask of Roadhog beneath him, a grin spread across his features and a delighted giggle escaped his lips. So his aim had been a little off, the grazes and scratches on his arms proof of that, but it had been successful and that wasn’t too bad for his first test since escaping the Junkers’ camp with Skip. Letting his little outburst of laughter subside, Junkrat looked over the desolate landscape. He swallowed past the lump that had choked in his throat. 

“Oi Roadie, I don’t think dingos are gonna be a problem this time round.” Junkrat called down, approaching the edge of the outcropping and looking down at his new body guard. It was then that he realised the flaw in his plan. Getting up wasn’t the problem, getting down was going to prove quite difficult, having a peg leg and as a result no feeling in it, didn’t make rock climbing easy in the slightest. He could always jump, but there was a chance the prosthetic would snap, wouldn’t be the first time it had happened. Something tugged at Junkrat’s waist, a yelp escaped his parted lips as he went sailing backwards off of the rock, the air rushing past him and his life quickly flashing before his eyes. Suddenly his breath was knocked from him as he impacted with something solid, firm hands were on his shoulders to steady him and cool metal was removed from the hem of his shorts. 

Roadhog clipped his hook back onto his belt, his large hands releasing Junkrat when he was confident the man wouldn’t collapse under the shock and adrenalin of what had just happened. The young Junker though was looking up at Roadhog with admiration in his amber eyes, his thin lips were pulled into such an unsettling smile that Hog rose a brow under his mask. He finally let go of Junkrat, happy now that the kid was steady on his uneven gait, his eyes hadn’t left Roadhog yet. Huffing beneath the leather of the mask Roadhog clicked his fingers in front of the Junker to gather his attention once more on the here and now.

“What did you see?” Hog prompted when he saw those eyes snap back into focus.

“Oh shit, right. Well I don’t have ta worry ‘bout dingos mate, they’re the least of our problems.” Junkrat grinned, a tremor going through his body. “Hope ya ready ta scrap some bots.”

“Omnics?”

“Yeah, guess they’re still hangin’ around, probably wishin’ for the good ol’ days when they had us runnin’ scared. Looks like the tables have turned huh?” Junkrat giggled, his eyes running over his launcher to double check that he had prepped it earlier. “Few half scrapped Bastion units from what I can see… Some other more human lookin’ ones too. Makes me sick.”

Roadhog grunted beneath his mask. He wasn’t prepared for a battle against the Omnics, he hadn’t had to encounter one of those bastards since he had scrapped the core with the Liberation Front. He didn’t think Junkrat understood how actually terrifying a Bastion unit was, their firepower had been devastating, they could deal out a massive amount of damage in a short amount of time. If these bots were half scrapped hopefully their turret mode was made moot, whilst upright they were manageable and a little slow moving, easy enough to hook and blast a load of scrap in their cpu. Roadhog wasn’t bullet proof, he had taken a lot of damage over the years, scrap and knives scarring his skin, but with something that could potentially put eight rounds in him per second, he didn’t like his chances, even with his Hogdrogen handy.

Junkrat was trembling with excitement, he had come into contact with Omnics before, most of them had been nothing but scrap and mangled parts, but their slightly human looking features and the fact that they could literally tear him limb from limb was more than a little frightening. They blew up quite nicely, there was none of the mess that humans left behind and they definitely didn’t scream or beg as much either. He checked his launcher, and patted the detonator at his belt, his eager face looking up expectantly at Roadhog’s mask, there was no reaction, but honestly Junkrat hadn’t expected one at this point.

“Right, so heres the deal. We gotta get over there, an’ these Omnics aren’t gonna make it easy. Can I count on ya to actually do somethin’?” Roadhog grunted, “yeah yeah sorry, shouldn’t have doubted ya big guy.” 

—-

Roadhog’s breathing was heavy, gasping between the dust and scrap around them. Plenty of Omnics had met their fate to his hook and scrap gun. He hated to say it-so he wont-but he and the Rat made a pretty good team. The small explosions from his cherry bombs made quick work on the metal plating of the Omnics, his scrap gun then made tearing up their insides that much easier. The bots were dropping like flies and Roadhog was thankful for the mask hiding his grin. There was no shame in enjoying what you did for work, but sometimes Hog had scared a few prospected clients off, it was never good to be running low on supplies and cash. Junkrat to be honest seemed to be enjoying himself, he still talked, even in the thick of battle, but Hog couldn’t find it in himself to shut him up, he was enjoying the carnage a little too much. 

Roadhog’s breaths hitched in his throat, a coughing wheeze escaping between parted lips that was muffled by his mask. The Bastion unit that was already mangled before them fell into a useless pile of scrap as Junkrat ran to his side, small hands were placed on his heaving stomach, framing the little pig tattoo, his thin face filled with-was that concern? Roadhog tried to shake his boss off, he was fine and he didn’t need any sympathy from the crazed Junker. Large fingers clasped around the canister, the metal heated from the Australian sun, it fumbled in his grasp, Junkrat catching it and looking at him wide eyes and confused. Breaths wheezed between the silence around them, Roadhog could almost see the lightbulb flicker to life across Rat’s face, the younger man scaling him like a fucking koala to depress the can of hogdrogen into one of the mask ports.

The creak of Junkrat’s leg as he landed broke the silence between them, Roadhog taking deep breaths of whatever was in the canister, his heaving reducing and the glass eyes of the mask completely ignoring the smaller Junker. A frustrated sound escaped his lips as he threw his arms up in exasperation, the smoke around them from the recent scuffle was beginning to settle, clinging to their sweat soaked skin. 

“Bloody fuckin’ ridiculous, don’t even get acknowledged for helpin’ someone out no more. No wonder the world went ta shit, bunch of cunts the lot of ya. Why am I even doin’ this again? I mean got ta scrap some bots which is always nice, make a good team we do… but the ungrateful fuck says shit all.” Junkrat was pacing in the red dirt, his peg leg squeaking every time he turned abruptly to march back a few feet in the opposite direction. His pacing was rhythmic, the click of his prosthetic almost soothing as his words began to descend more into frustrated sounds and swears. 

Roadhog simply watched, rolling his eyes as he attempted to dust the soot from his skin, it smudged into grime, creating clear streaks with his fingers. It was time to escape the heat, they were going to have to pick this trek up later in the day when the heat would hopefully die off and allow them to walk without the threat of dehydration. Without saying a word, Hog reached forward, his fingers wrapping around the worn material of Junkrat’s bomb harness, he dragged the kid practically kicking and screaming behind him. There wasn’t much shelter besides the jagged metal out here, there were no caves, no crevices and so the slanting metal might be their only option. 

Junkrat continued to kick and swear, his hands were scrabbling at his harness, the clip that secured it buried beneath Roadhog’s giant grip. The ex-Enforcer snarled-actually snarled-like some sort of feral animal and in one swift movement he had hefted Junkrat off his feet and tucked the skinnier man beneath the crook of his arm. Junkrat hissed and spat, the words escaping his mouth would have made even a sailor blush. Roadhog seemed to have no difficulty juggling the smaller Junker’s thrashing form, his prosthetic knee dug into his body guard’s solid gut, a grunt and the grasp holding him a little too tightly now was the only response he received. Junkrat clawed at the meaty arm that held him, scrabbling for some kind of purchase to use as leverage, he was dumped to the ground for his trouble.

“What the fuck is your problem cunt?” Junkrat bristled only to watch as Roadhog slumped down beside him, the action kicking up a small cloud of red dust in the shade. It wasn’t exactly cooler in the Outback, the air still held that dry horrid heat that would stick to his skin, but the supply of shade blocking the every present sun was actually quite relaxing. The leather mask was angled in his direction, judging and as if asking for him to continue. “I-I guess you’re right, bit hot ey? Guess we could rest for a tick.” 

Roadhog grunted leaning back against their temporary shelter, it would only be useful for half an hour or so before the sun moved in the sky and they would then be struck with the blistering heat once again. It would serve a purpose, allow them not to collapse from heat stroke and as a result probably die of dehydration. The Australian Outback wasn’t for everyone, the heat was immense, the rain fall was sometimes non existent not to mention the cold temperatures it could drop to at night. It wasn't for the faint of heart and that was before the whole place went to shit. The Omnium had disrupted people’s lives, forced them to move out and try and take back what was theres. They had succeeded, in a way, but this was a life no one really wanted to live.

Roadhog was good at his job, he had to be to try and survive within the harsh environment he had helped create in his youth. Mako Rutledge had long since buried deep inside him, smothered by the death and destruction he had used to create Roadhog, it was easier this way, easier to deal with the things he had done. He looked down to the smaller Junker, he had his bombs spread before him, counting them with his fingers and making a tally in the dirt. It was times like this that Roadhog could actually see how young his new employer really was, a kid, one that had been forced to grow up in this hell hole, one who had been hardened by the environment and the people who inhabited it. He briefly wondered what today would have been like if the Crisis had never happened, he would have probably still been a solar farmer and Junkrat would've likely to follow in his parents footsteps. 

There were a lot of things that he would've liked to of asked his employer, but honestly Roadhog knew what it was like when people pushed their curiosity onto you, he wasn’t about to succumb to that. Unless it was important to their current mission he didn't really care about the lanky Junker’s upbringing-although honestly-he could use a fucking good feed. Junkrat had spread more things across the dirt, he had dismantled the mine and seemed to be working on the process of rewiring it, the actual bomb was placed to his right as far from Roadhog as possible, probably for the best. He let out a huff, it was enough to grasp his employer’s attention, Junkrat looking up at him with almost confusion, as if he didn’t know who Hog was.

The vacant look disappeared in the blink of an eye, a tremor running through Rat and a giggle escaping his lips, laughter that suddenly billowed out into the heat. Roadhog was startled slightly, his brow shot up beneath his mask, the kid was absolutely mad. The sound could not only attract what remaining Omnics there were but the plethora of other animals that wouldn’t have minded chewing on Junkrat’s remaining leg. Meaty fingers and a sweaty palm clasped around Rat’s thin jaw, smothering the smaller man against his hot skin. Junkrat’s eyes went wide, his brows suddenly furrowed and Roadhog felt the slobber on his palm before teeth sunk into his flesh. Growling he pulled away, looking at the small indents and glaring at the younger Junker. 

“Serves ya right ya drongo! What were ya tryin’ ta do, kill me?”

“Shut you up.”

“Yeah well I can’t help it mate, mindin’ my own business I was!” Junkrat shuffled slightly away from Roadhog, just a few inches, “Who’s payin’ who here?”

“You haven’t paid me yet.”

“I will! Just hold ya horses, need ta get ta my fuckin’ treasure first, keep treatin’ me like a fuckin’ rag doll and I’ll drop ya quicker than… I dunno. Just remember who’s in charge here.”

Roadhog knew that Junkrat was right, that he was the employer and Hog was only in it for the pay check at the end of this whole ordeal. He shouldn’t give two shits whether Junkrat chewed his nails, boiled to death under the sun or even brought every enemy towards them. That was the problem though, it was _them_ now and not just him, Junkrat’s problems were his own. He shouldn’t be playing the babysitter, so why was he? Looking in the Rat’s direction, he saw that the kid had his hands back in his mouth, tearing at his fingernails with the sharp canines that had bitten him earlier.

Fuck what had he signed up for? Roadhog nudged Junkrat slightly with his elbow, the action still knocking the smaller man off balance and he scowled underneath his unkept hair. Without saying anything Hog pointed to the round canteen that hung from the his belt. Curious Junkrat unclipped it, he took a small sip himself before handing it over to the much larger man. The water was warm, it had been hanging off of his belt for a few days now, in the heat of the Outback sun, one never really knew what cool water was like. It was hard to gather such a thing, most traded junk and scrap for it in local settlements. For Rat to have something that tasted quite clean, Roadhog knew that he had been part of some form of colony out here.

“Get kicked out did ya?” The elder grunted as he handed the canteen back.  

“Yeah. Well not really kicked out, more like chased out with scrap guns an’ baseball bats. Everyone wants my fuckin’ treasure, as if killin’ me will simply give them access to it. Idiots.”

Roadhog grunted pulling his mask back into place over his lips. His skinny companion didn’t seem to notice, his amber eyes more focused on the dirt before them. There was the start of a plan scribbled in the most terrible writing Hog had ever seen, but at a quick glance the plan seemed pretty solid. It was going to take every ounce of his patience to do this, to listen to the prattling, to protect the little shit from bounty hunters, enforcers and the like, even protect Rat from himself. 

“Stop chewing on your fingers!” 

“Make me!”

Well that wasn’t something someone said to Roadhog and didn’t immediately regret their words. Looks like this was becoming more difficult by the minute, Junkrat simply staring defiantly into the dead leather of Hog’s mask. Knuckles cracked, Junkrat laughed, dirt was kicked up and someone was swearing beneath their breath. Hog won, no surprise there and Junkrat was muttering about how it was unfair and the whole thing had been rigged. He smiled beneath his mask-thankful that the leather covered it-it had been such a long time that he had even smiled at something that wasn’t ending in bloodshed. This young Junker was going to be bad for him, he could see that, but the allure of the money was going to be just enough to make him stick this one out, even if the little Rat was a complete pain in the arse.

“Ready to move?”

“Yeah.” Junkrat looked up from his pouting, jumping to his feet swiftly for someone who had a peg for a leg. He scrambled his stuff together stuffing them into an old worn knapsack, the canteen was clipped back to his belt and his launcher clutched tightly. “Come on, not much further now.”

“You said that three hours ago.” Roadhog grumbled as he got up, feeling the muscles in his back twinge with the movement.

“Well I lied. Oh don’t look so shocked, I lie all the time.” Junkrat tittered off into a giggle, having to steady himself on his large bodyguards arm so he didn’t fall over into the red dirt. “Come on ya heifer, lets go.”

Roadhog clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together. He hoped this treasure was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it took me like a whole month to get up because I just couldn't end it. I wrote, wrote and wrote and then I just hurriedly tapered it off cause I wasn't going to stop. Someone help me!
> 
> I'm kidding. 
> 
> Also I didn't want to go into a description of Junkrat's treasure again, I'm trying to keep it vague cause Blizzard hasn't given us any hint to what it could be.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the reviews and kudos! Love you all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew the two of them would make such a great team? Or when Roadhog realises that being a body guard for the little Rat might not be so bad.
> 
> Also if you guys want to send me asks or are curious about anything to do with the story you can leave a comment here and I always try to answer. Or you can contact me on my tumblr. demidevil

The treasure was safe and Junkrat was much less nervous about it now that he had shared it with someone else. He had calmed down, his ranting and raving seemed more directed to situations at hand rather than worrying about what he had buried in the Outback. Roadhog was finding the younger Junker much more tolerable, he wasn’t metaphorically bouncing off of the walls every second of the day, he seemed much more focused. They were in a tough situation though, their supplies were low, they were making their way across the desert on foot and the Outback was as unforgiving as the people who inhabited it. 

Roadhog was slowly leading them towards Junkertown, he didn’t think Junkrat had realised yet, the boy seemed to know his way around the flat plains and twisted metal, but he was also very easy to distract. There were small peaks shadowing the horizon, the structures not unusual in the Outback, they signified a settlement. Not a very large one by the looks of it, there were no official structures that he could identify, just a sea of canvas tents to shelter the inhabitants. There was a small chance that these Junkers hadn’t heard about the bounty on his boss, but he highly doubted it, word travelled fast between communities in the Outback, surprisingly considering technology was severely lacking compared to the rest of the world.

Junkrat might of known the Outback well but Roadhog had a lot more years on him. He knew every dirt road, every small town that had cropped up out of twisted metal, tents and rocky caves. They were going to have to make a stop, whether they traded scrap for supplies or they stole it, it didn’t matter. They needed this otherwise the both of them would bake and die in this heat. They needed food and water, not to mention the much needed ammunition and chemicals to help Rat make his bombs. He kept complaining that his stock levels were dangerously low, something he would remind Roadhog of every hour. The large body guard also needed to retrieve his bike, he had left it for repairs about a month back with a contact in Junkertown. He hated walking and dealing with Junkrat’s ramblings all the time didn't make the situation better.

“So what’s this place Hoggie?” Rat was at his side, like a loyal hyperactive Chihuahua, he was still quite twitchy. It was amazing the man had lived as long as he had, Hog assumed he had kept his head down before he found his treasure but after knowing the young Junker for more than a few days he knew that was impossible. Junkrat was a risk taker, he wanted to watch his enemies burn and giggle in the aftermath, Hog could relate.

“Some small fuckin’ town. We need supplies.”

“Yeah guess I didn’t really think me escape through. Probably could've run away with a lot more. Did leave some of it with Skip, waste of supplies now, she’s probably dead.”

“Probably.”

“Fuckin’ Enforcers. I’ll kill every last one of ‘em!” Junkrat scowled as he watched Roadhog chuckle beneath the leather of his mask. “What ya laughin’ at ya prick?”

“You. The Enforcers would eat you alive.”

“Maybe… but they won’t eat you will they?” Junkrat smirked a giggle escaping him as Roadhog fell silent.

Hog knew he was right, it was his job now to protect the younger man and if the Enforcers had their eyes on him then Roadhog had no choice but to protect his new boss. He just hoped that Rat wasn’t going to go looking for trouble. Rat had come to terms with the fact that his old partner was dead and there was nothing he could do about it, but if he wanted revenge then Roadhog wasn’t going to help fuel that desire. No matter what Junkrat said, he wasn’t going to put them directly into the line of fire on purpose, he would be shitty at his job if he did that. He had begrudging accepted their terms and made their contract official with a handshake after he had seen Rat’s treasure and they had both dug it up out of the red soil. 

This was going to make them both very rich, split fifty fifty of all spoils, but first he was going to have to protect the little bastard if they were ever going to get somewhere without someone wanting to off him at every turn. This job seemed a little more hands on than his last one, after a few weeks with Junkrat, he had spent more time trying to calm him down than actually protecting his life. Roadhog could understand, the kid was scared, he had every person in this hell hole looking for him and there was a possibility of death at every turn. Any other Junkers they had come across whether it was to trade or to threaten, Rat had regarded them with distaste, hiding behind Hog and practically clutching to his belt like a five year old child. 

Roadhog had dealt with it every single time, he had simply huffed out a breath and rolled his eyes beneath the leather of his mask. This kid was going to be the death of him, it was easier to simply ignore Junkrat and deal with the threat in front of them first. There were a couple of times he had to clamp a massive hand over the little motor mouth so he could convey their response without pissing the other person off. Getting supplies was proving difficult when someone simply wanted to throw insults at the other. Junkrat was like a cat, hissing and spitting and trying to look threatening, most tried to call his bluff and that was what Roadhog was for. He had only had to gut a few crazed Junkers that had tried to press things too far, most though backed down at the simple sight of him. Roadhog knew he was a mountain of a man, tall, fat and intimidating; that alone was usually enough to scare prospecting attackers off but if that didn’t work than his reputation did.

Roadhog had built what he could from the ashes that was Mako Rutledge, he had become a ruthless killer to bury the guilt and remorse he felt for destroying the Outback and making it the wasteland it was today. He had started with odd jobs, delivering delicate parcels which had soon evolved into escorting missions, after that he had caught the attention of the Enforcers. They had been a ruthless bunch, they had taught him how to become a machine, how to push down the guilt and sympathy he felt for others. He had been able to take down even the weakest target with nothing but a grunt and maybe even a chuckle if he had enjoyed the hunt. 

When the newest member had taken over the town, the Enforcers had turned from savage law enforcement to down right pack hunters. No target was too big or small for them, they had become twisted versions of themselves. Roadhog had left them after that, he had decided to pursue his own career with something that was going to pay him better than the odd hand out of water and food. Bounty hunting came easy, being a gun for hire was even more exciting as the missions promised a more bloody outcome. Roadhog had built a name for himself, he had become a force to be reckoned with and everyone who knew their worth in the Outback knew not to fuck around with him. 

“What the fuck we doin’ here Roadie?” Junkrat snarled still hovering a little too closely to his side.

“I told you. What did ya forget?”

“I was listenin’ I swear! Must’ve just skipped my mind.”

“Sure.”

“I was listenin’!” Junkrat huffed, his skinny arms crossed in front of his thin chest, his bottom lip stuck out in a pout. Roadhog regarded him slightly before huffing and flicking the smaller man behind the ear in an attempt to wipe that ridiculous look off his face. “Oi!”

“Don’t make that face.”

“Don’t make that face Junkrat. Stop biting your nails Junkrat. Don’t blow that up Junkrat! You ain’t me mum!”

“I would of taught ya some fuckin’ manners.”

“Oh la-dee-da!” Junkrat twinkled his fingers and skipped the best he could with a false leg by Roadhog’s side. The larger man snarled, grasping Rat’s harness and pulling him back into line.

“Knock it off!”

“Fine!” Junkrat muttered beneath his breath, curses and insults aimed at his body guard but there was no real malice behind each word. Roadhog seemed to be ignoring him for the most part, they walked in silence, side by side as equals as they entered the small town. Junkrat was in Hog’s shadow, his body twitching and his fingers in his mouth being chewed bloody by sharp canines. 

The residents of the unknown town eyed the new comers warily, travellers on the roads were not unheard of in the Outback, but every small community like this one was always on its toes. They weren’t Junkertown, they didn’t have Enforcers to uphold their laws, all they had were their own wits and guns. Just from giving each person a light scan, Junkrat could see that they were armed, with crude weapons like bats, pipes and knives. There were very little guns but he could see a few that had been modified to take the ammunition of choice, scrap. They didn’t have the range of a bullet but up close they could shred skin and organs causing a lot of damage.

Junkrat’s gait faltered slightly and he dropped to just behind Roadhog, using the body guard’s massive form to dodge around the gaze of the locals. He couldn’t be sure if any of these idiots actually knew who he was or even knew there was a bounty on his head, but Junkrat wasn’t going to take chances. He had bumped into Roadhog a few times, whenever the larger man would stop to talk to someone about supplies. By the third time, Hog had grasped him harshly by the elbow and pulled him to his side. The intimidating man leant down, the leather of his mask inches from Junkrat’s face, he could feel the warm hiss of air escape through the ports with the enraged exhale. 

“Don’t draw attention to yourself.” Roadhog grunted, “stop acting like a twitchy rat and just stand there. Can you do that?”

“Uh yeah… sure thing…” Junkrat’s eyes darted from his body guard’s mask to the many other Junkers that wandered the streets. His chest was rising and falling in quick harsh breaths, his hands picking at the already raw skin around his nails. He didn’t fight when Roadhog pulled him aside, away from the dirt paths into a quiet corner between two crude tents. There he swung Junkrat around to face him, steadying him with those massive firm hands.

“Look. I know you’re scared-“

“Am not!”

“And there’s nothin’ wrong with that. Everyone who knows their worth is after you, so a little fear will keep you on your toes.” Roadhog’s hands clenched Junkrat’s shoulders fiercely to once more gain his attention. “Don’t make it so god damn fuckin’ obvious though. Just calm down!”

“I can’t. They know, they’ve all gotta know. I mean word travels pretty fast here in the Outback don’t it? All a bunch of cunts that can’t keep their mouth shut! They’ll try an’ kill me an’ if they don’t then they’ll tell everyone bout me, bout me treasure! I gotta silence ‘em all!”

“No you don’t!”

“But they’re gonna kill me!”

“No they’re not. That’s what I’m here for remember. Fifty-fifty. I said I would protect your arse so I will, but ya gotta make my job a little bit easier and just fuckin’ listen to me from time ta time.”

“Ok…”

“It’s easy. Just relax and walk beside me, and keep ya mouth shut when I’m talkin’ to others.”

“Ok…”

Roadhog stared at his young employer, taking in the wide eyes, the teeth digging into his lip and his hands wringing in front of him. Junkrat was a complete fucking mess, he would get better with time but for now he was going to have to learn how to compose himself in public. He could lose his shit all he wanted when they were on the road but Roadhog didn’t really have the time for a mental breakdown right now. He offered the young Junker a soft squeeze of his shoulders causing those amber coloured eyes to focus once more on the cold reflective lenses of his mask. 

“Listen. It’s hard, but just trust me, I’ve been doing this for a long time.”

“Ok…” 

Great. Roadhog had somehow found the mute button on the little bastard. He didn’t know what was worse, the inane chatter or the stunned silence. Strangely enough scared Junkrat seemed to be the worse of the two. Sighing, he pet his young boss’s shoulder before finally letting him go. Roadhog stepped back, watching Rat for a few more seconds, the kid immediately fell into line by his side, his posture seemed a little better at least. Roadhog had enough confidence for the both of them, this was just a small settlement, there wasn’t anyone here who was going to any sort of threat to him.

What he had gathered so far was this community was like any other, trading scrap and junk for food, water and supplies. It was going to make bartering for a trade a little bit more difficult as they had nothing that would be worth it to these people. Junkrat’s bombs might of gotten them some things but he knew his boss wasn’t willing to part with any of those, he wasn’t willing to share his craft and Roadhog couldn’t blame him for that. There was a larger tent in the middle of the town, if he knew these Junkers and they were probably like every other one, then their supplies would be in there. They were going to have to find somewhere quiet to plan something, there could be ears every where in this small camp. 

“Roadie… you’re a little starved yeah? I am too… how bout we rustle up somethin’?”

“Workin’ on it.”

“It’s right here.” Junkrat threw his thumb up over his shoulder to indicate the large tent they had just passed. The vacant look he received in return from that faceless mask caused him to roll his eyes. With a grin, Junkrat looked around before ducking inside the canvas tent and out of the scorching heat. 

Roadhog froze, his eyes wide and a swear escaping his lips muffled by the leather. The kid was fucking stupid and it was going to get him killed. He glanced around him, what towns people there were didn’t seem to of noticed the twitchy little junker’s absence. This wasn’t going to work, there was no way, the plan was too stupid, too spontaneous. Roadhog didn’t like it at all, in fact there was no plan, the little prick just waltzed right in like he owned the place. His hand hovered just above his hook ready to grasp the familiar surface and gut anyone who became suspicious.

Junkrat came sauntering out of the tent, there was a canvas bag sitting half hazard on his shoulder, the strap was woven between his grenades and for all his height, his thin build was having trouble supporting it. He had a huge grin on his face, like a dog happy to see its master again, he practically skipped to Roadhog’s side to show off his findings. The tangled strap proved difficult for his jittery hands and Hog leant forward, massive fingers delicate as he pulled the strap free and hefted the bag onto his own shoulder.

“Good work Rat.”

“Thanks mate. Now all I need is some scrap to make some ammo and we’re all set.”

“Right.” Roadhog looked around the make shift dirt streets around them, no one seemed the wiser to Rat’s little intrusion. He was hoping to god that there were enough supplies-the bag certainly felt heavy enough-although his boss’s idea of portions and his were two totally different things. He could hear the faint sloshing of water bottles, how clean it was remained to be seen, and there was also the soft crinkling of crude packets, for now he would have to give Junkrat benefit of the doubt. Happy for the incident free heist, Roadhog pointed to his side to indicate that his boss should stay close. They still had to pass through the small town and towards the larger settlement of Junkertown so he could reclaim his bike.

“See I told ya I’d come in handy!” Junkrat grinned his thin frame twitching from the excitement and the praise he had received earlier. Being told he had done good made him think back to the times Skip was teaching him the basic instinct to survive in this unforgiving wasteland. He owed her his life and he had done nothing in return besides being a brat and abandoning her when she needed him the most. 

Junkrat stopped. His body twitching, a sad giggle escaping his parted lips. Junkrat fell behind Roadhog and it wasn’t until he was a few feet in front did he stop and turned to face him. Skip was dead. There was no way she would of survived the encounter with the Enforcers and it was all his fault. They could have escaped together, they could have taken a stand and fought but no, he had turned tail and ran, he had left her to her fate. She had probably been alone and scared, outnumbered and with no escape, like an animal caught in one of his many traps.

Junkrat felt the sting of tears in his eyes, burning against the heat of the sun and clinging to his lashes. He rubbed at his face with the heel of his palm, smudging soot and tears across his freckled cheeks creating clean streaks amongst the grime. Roadhog seemed frozen in place those few feet in front of him, watching with those soulless glass eyes. He slowly closed the distance between them, his hand grasping the bomb harness and tugging Junkrat gently along the dirt road. He didn’t want to talk about what was happening and Roadhog didn’t seem to be too interested in knowing. They just had to keep moving, get out of dangers way and he could have his breakdown on the open road where they wouldn’t be surrounded.

So lost in his thought, Junkrat didn’t see the local come up to them. He choked back a startled cry that had the stranger and Hog looking at him with concern. Giggling off the embarrassment, Junkrat moved to be more behind his hulking body guard. There might of been a slim chance that these drongos didn’t know who he was and what he had, but if they did then there couldn’t of been too many Junkers out there with patching hair and a peg leg. He was too easy to spot, thin frame, limping gait and a mouth that could put any sailor to shame, he was the centre of attention even when he didn’t want to be.

“Just passing through.” Roadhog muttered. If possible his voice seemed deeper and more gravelly than normal. Either he was becoming frustrated by the current situation or he was appearing to be more intimidating. Whichever it was, the local Junkrer didn’t seem to get the hint.

“Need supplies? Sure we could trade for somethin’ That hook of yours an’ that launcher of his look like they’d fetch a pretty penny. Whatcha say?” The man had a feral grin, missing teeth that were rotten and blackened by years of poor hygiene, his frame was thin, bent over a crude crutch that was supporting him. There were no visible weapons on his person but Roadhog had learnt early on that didn’t mean people were no longer a threat.

“Oi! Fuck off ya dipstick! I wouldn’t give ya any of me bombs-” Junkrat was silenced when Roadhog’s sweaty palm clasped down over his mouth, the rest of the words a mumbled mess.

“No.”

“Oh come on. Sure we got somethin’ ya need. Food, water, scrap, everyone needs scrap.”

“No.”

“Fine.” The local Junker turned to leave, his crutch sinking awkwardly into the dust with the movement. His eyes darted to their duffle bag, he paused mid step and frowned. “What ya got there?”

“None of your business.” Roadhog growled, his body tensing and bristling with the question.

“That’s ours, you’re stealin’ from us? Thief!” The man turned to run, the best he could with a crutch, he didn’t get more than three feet before Roadhog’s hook was in his side and his neck was grasped between those hulking hands a chocked sob escaping the man.

A deep chuckle reverberated from the ex-Enforcer, those fingers tightening and a deafening crack filled the silence in the streets. The body was tossed aside like a fucking used tissue where it slumped against the ground, red dirt kicking up in its wake. Roadhog was laughing, a deep horrifying chuckle that had Junkrat giggling cautiously and those eyes looking on with a mix of fear and admiration. It really stuck in his mind that in that moment, Roadhog could snuff out his life so easily.

“T-time ta get outta here ‘ey Hoggie?” Junkrat darted forward, his smaller hands dwarfed around Hog’s wrist, desperately clutching and trying to pull the larger man away from the carnage. His body guard seemed to ignore him, large chest and belly rising and falling with each deep breath wheezing past the ports in his mask. The commotion had gathered the attention of others, people peering from tents to try and piece together what had happened. Junkrat could see their hands twitching for their weapons, their mouths pulled into twisted snarls as they realised what had happened to one of them. 

Releasing Roadhog, Rat grasped for a cartridge and checking it for the cherry bombs. He slammed it into place, hearing it click before he pulled the gear stick back to prime the crude weapon. Roadhog still hadn’t moved, his breathing was becoming more normal but his mask was focused on the dead crumpled body in the corner. Junkrat grumbled beneath his breath as he limped a few feet away from his body guard and brandished his weapon at the slowly approaching Junkers. 

“Roadie, time ta go mate!” Junkrat snapped but he didn’t even look at the hulking man, now was not the time to take his eyes of the enemies slowly approaching him, wary of his weapon. “Don’t fuckin’ come any closer or I’ll blow ya all sky high!”

A shadow fell over Junkrat, he immediately felt the minute change in temperature, shade could offer a lot when the sun was constantly beating down on ones body. He yelped, his finger pulling the trigger and a cherry bomb was lobbed towards the approaching Junkers, he tried to turn but was kept in place by a muscled hairy arm. He knew right then that there was nothing to fear, Roadhog was crouched over him, he could hear the sound of scrap being buried into the rubber armour. Amber eyes looked up shocked, Junkrat knew that this was what it was like to have a body guard, but he had never elected for Roadhog to risk his life for him.

“Come here!” The large ex-Enforcer grumbled, scooping Rat up beneath his arm as if he was nothing but a ragdoll. A few cherry bombs were launched towards the encampment, small explosions causing canvas to catch alight, burning bright amongst the chaos. Junkrat didn’t hesitate to rip out the empty cartridge, lobbing it at some poor bloke’s head as they passed. A giggle escaped his lips, evolving into full mania as he loaded another cartridge into his launcher. Roadhog was puffing from their escape, taking corners between tents and old shackled homes to try and mislead their pursuers. 

“Stay behind me!” With a mighty grunt, Hog shuffled Rat and placed the younger man on his feet behind him, he used his bulk to shield his boss from the oncoming spray of scrap guns. The metal shards pinged off the tin shed beside him, echoing in his ears. The glint of metal snapped from his left hand, the hook already bloodied sailing out to claim another member to the sharp edge. That Junker was filled with a point blank shot from his scrap gun, his lifeless body being shaken from the hook’s tip. He felt hands at his waist, fumbling amongst his pockets and knapsack. Growling Hog reached down to tear the person’s limbs right off, he hesitated though, Junkrat’s fearful eyes watching him. Thin fingers grasped around the yellow container and Hog realised what the kid was doing, he suddenly became hyper aware of the rasping breaths passing his lips and wheezing through the mask’s ports.

“I gotcha Hog, keep ‘em back alrigh’? This’ll only take a mo’.” Junkrat stayed behind cover, rather nimble for someone with a peg leg as he hoisted himself up using the hem of Roadhog’s pants and proceeding to compress a can of Hogdrogen into the port. He held the strange canister for a little longer than necessary, offering his body guard a thumbs up before leaping down into the red dirt.

“Stay outta trouble!”

“I’ll be on me best behaviour mate!” Junkrat called back, a giggle escaping him before he practically dived head first into a pile of scrap, something had obviously caught his eye.

Roadhog breathed much easier, the gas helping to clear his lungs. He spared his new charge one more look before he moved out of cover, the alternate shot to his scrap gun travelled a little further than the primary, if it landed it could do a significant amount of damage. Hog wasn’t trying to hit the other Junkers, he was hoping to simply push them back in an attempt to allow their escape. Junkrat had other ideas, he could hear the kid muttering to himself. His hook went sailing out, another met the gruesome fate, this one’s insides being torn from the sheer force of the hook. He heard the crash of scrap as Junkrat pulled something free from the pile he had been scavenging in.

“What are you doing?” Roadhog wheezed, whilst the kid pressed another can of Hogdrogen to his mask and let the air compress into the leather, he hadn’t even noticed the smaller man climbing him like a tree that time. Junkrat then hopped down off of Hog’s shoulders removing his bomb harness in the process and landing on his peg which groaned beneath his weight. 

“Just cover me Hoggie. Trust me.” 

Roadhog frowned, they were stuck in a rather bad predicament, the colony of Junkers had advanced on them, turned out they didn’t appreciate Rat robbing their supplies. They were a little more organised than Hog had originally thought. The score had been nothing but old bread, dried meats and bottles of water, enough for the two of them to get by comfortably for a week or so, even with how much Hog ate. He placed the pack of supplies beside them, freeing his left hand, his hook sailing out towards the corner to keep the Junkers at bay. Junkrat was muttering to himself, he had sat down on the dirt road, an old rubber tire between his legs, fingers deftly removing the grenades from his harness.

“Shit shit shit, gotta be quick.” Junkrat held the explosives carefully, his hands for once not shaking or twitching as he placed each grenade into the lining of the tire. He could hear random shots going off from Roadhog’s scrap gun, shots designed to kill and maim. Heated bits of metal sinking into flesh and keeping the Junkers at bay.

“Hurry up.”

“Get ya knickers outta’ve a knot, I’m workin’ as fast as I can. Can’t rush genius Hoggie.” 

Roadhog huffed, ducking back into cover as shots rang against the iron framing beside him. Scrap guns were good at shredding people’s insides but they didn’t have the force behind them to penetrate anything tougher than skin. They were lucky there had been more than canvas tents in this tiny town, because the old shed was providing more than enough cover. 

“They haven’t split up yet to surround us, it’s now or never Rat!”

“Alright alright!” Junkrat finally leapt to his feet, peg leg groaning beneath the sudden movement, the tire was supported between his hands, his fingers twitching and a grin split his features. “They’re in for it now.”

“What the fuck is that?”

“It’s a bomb ya drongo! Jesus what do ya think I’ve been doin’ this whole time, scratchin’ me arse?” Junkrat huffed very carefully rolling the tire towards Roadhog. “All ya gotta do is send this in their direction. I’ve put the trip mine in there as well so once it’s close ‘nough I’ll blow it and it’ll set off the grenades.”

Roadhog was staring at the smaller man, it was probably the first thing Junkrat had said to him in a long time that wasn’t just him prattling on about nothing. Obviously the love for his craft seemed to focus his mind much better than Roadhog just growling at him to stop. He reached out to stabilise the dangerous rubber tire in front of them both, he could see the trip mine and the intricate wirings that wove between the rubber and each grenade that lined the inner wall of the tire. The kid was beaming, proud of his idea and obviously proud that he had managed to execute it. Roadhog couldn’t stop staring at the very rare clean skin beneath where his harness had once clung, freckled and pale, a stark contrast against the dark soot and red grime of a treacherous life in the Outback.

“What ya waitin’ for ya heifer? Fuckin’ throw it at ‘em!” Junkrat snarled, sharp canine teeth visible as he tapped the side of Roadhog’s round stomach to get his attention.

Roadhog held the rim of the tire, he felt like one wrong move could cause it to blow up in his face, although Rat had assured him that it was set to blow via remote, he couldn’t be too sure. Yes the little prick seemed to know his way around a bomb and a fuse, but it still wasn’t enough to calm Hog’s nerves. A shot of scrap embedded itself into the metal beside them, Roadhog’s scrap gun echoed the shot, trying to get the Junkers to back off under cover so he could line up the bomb. The ground was sloped to their advantage, and honestly it only had to get close enough for Junkrat to detonate the trip mine, enough to cause a distraction to allow them to slip away.

“Ready Rat?”

“You bet’cha arse I’m ready Hog!” Junkrat giggled, pushing against his body guard’s side in an attempt to see what could be the most brilliant explosion he’s ever made. He tensed when Roadhog pulled the tire back, he laughed when he watched it bounce and wobble on the uneven surface, he didn’t even fight it when Hog scooped him up and threw him over a massive shoulder with the duffle bag in tow. He saw from his perch the Junkers’ faces, their eyes alight with fear and their hearts in their throats. “Fire in the hole!”

Junkrat clicked the detonator. 

There was a deafening silence that seemed to stretch into the longest three seconds of Junkrat’s life. The trip mine blinked, the explosion tore through the rubber casing, flinging shrapnel in every direction. The canvas tents were ripped apart, material catching alight and drifting aloft by the sheer force alone. The best part were the people, they screamed in agony, most of the ones who had been in the direct line of the blast radius had perished immediately, the ones on the outskirts weren’t so lucky. The bright light from the explosion, the rush of wind and the smell of chemicals burning flesh and material alike was an addiction for Junkrat. He hollered and laughed, thumping Roadhog on the back in congratulations as he watched the town slowly disappear from view.

The duffle rattled next to Junkrat, he unzipped it a fraction, retrieving a dried piece of unknown meat and tearing off a fairly sizeable chunk. Roadhog was wheezing, breaths hissing through the ports of the leather as he began to slow down. They were a fair distance from the small camp, Junkrat could still see the explosion burning away in the distance, his giggling gasps escaping between each breath of chewed meat. Eventually Hog slowed, his hulking steps coming to a stop as he force air through his lungs, his gaping belly heaving with each effort.

“I got ya mate.” Junkrat grinned, coming down from his high. Shuffling on Hog’s shoulder he managed to reach down for a can of Hogdrogen, nimbler fingers flicking the cap open as he swung back up behind his body guard’s neck, his legs absently kicking at the hulking frame and chest armour. He grasped onto the straps of the mask for support, leaning forward to compress the can into the port, hearing and feeling Roadhog heave in the strange gas. “Feelin’ better?”

“…” 

“Yeah I know, bit tight back there… but look at us! We make a great team, ya see those cunts faces? They were right pissin’ themselves! That bomb was fuckin’ amazin’, given me ideas.”

“Don’t hurt ya self.”

“You tryin’ ta crack a joke mate? Best ta leave that ta me!” Junkrat giggled anyway, his hands resting a top of Roadhog’s skull, fingers entwined and his chin resting on them. “Probably should take it easy for awhile anyway huh? We got supplies, I can always scavenge for scrap for us, both need the ammo.”

“Rest first.”

“What? Oh yeah of course. After that display ya deserve it! Did you see the guts come outta that guy when ya hooked him? Man that was fuckin’ brutal!” Junkrat tittered off into laughter, his hand clutched around Roadhog’s short pony tail as he leant back into his fit of joy. With a grumble, the ex-Enforcer reached up, his hand clasped around the prosthetic knee joint and in a swift motion he pulled Junkrat forward to hold him in the air in front of him upside down. 

“Oi!” 

“I’m not your horse.” Roadhog grumbled, his other hand wrapping around Junkrat’s elbow and he righted the younger man onto his feet before placing him beside him on the red dirt. He dusted at his armour, shouldering the duffle bag of supplies and proceeding to leave Junkrat to follow him. They still had to get to Junkertown.

“Oh come on ya fat bastard! I’m sick of walkin’ just carry me for like a kay or so.”

“No!”

“Is that anyway ta treat a cripple?”

“You’re plenty capable.”

“Prick.”

“Arse.”

“I swear I should sack ya arse.” Junkrat muttered beneath his breath, jogging to catch up to the hulking man that was his body guard. “Come on Hog I’m tired…”

“We’ll get my bike soon.”

“You have a bike?” Junkrat’s eyes were alight with admiration, he hadn’t heard the rumble of an engine since Skip had been killed. “Why the fuck didn’t ya tell me? Where is it?”

“Junkertown.”

“Right no problems, let’s go!” Junkrat stopped suddenly, Roadog smirking beneath the leather of his mask. “Wait… did you say-”

“Junkertown.”

“Oh fuck no!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapter updates are taking a little longer than normal, but this will be the stander from now on. Three weeks between updates, maybe even a month sometimes. I've got a very full plate at the moment. I've adopted a one year old dog who has no manners and knows absolutely nothing, also he has to be the stupidest thing on the planet which I love. But the worse thing is, that I just found out last week that my mum has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (ALS in the states). So I'm coming to terms with that and having to learn how to be a carer cause she'll need one eventually. At the moment she's still in hospital getting tests done.
> 
> Thanks again to everyone who reads, leaves kudos or comments. You guys are the best and know how to make me smile.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Junkertown!

“Man Junkertown is a fuckin’ hole. Can see why Skip told me ta stay away.” Junkrat muttered as he looked over the twisted scrap that made up the towns buildings and shacks. He had never really been to Junkertown before, he had heard plenty of stories of the corrupted place from Skip and he had been warned to never approach its residents. Normally he would have listened, Skip had been right about most things in his life, yet she wasn’t here, and she never would be again. That thought brought a funny feeling to Junkrat’s gut, something he had never felt before and it was causing his insides to coil and tighten. He breathed deep, hiccuping out a giggle that had his body guard turning to him with curiosity. 

He had left Skip. Junkrat had left her to die in that little shack in the middle of no where. If he had been asked to return to it now he wouldn’t have been able to. It’s location had been wiped from his mind, if he couldn’t point to it on a map than he couldn’t feel guilty about not going back for her. It didn’t work though, the lessons she taught him affected every aspect of his life, every time he did something right he could remember her smile, the way she would congratulate him. Every single time it was as if Roadhog had dug that hook into his guts and pulled out his insides slowly, the guilt was slowly eating him up. He didn’t even go looking for her body, didn’t even offer her a proper burial simply left her to rot in the Outback and hopefully stall the Enforcers.

Junkrat’s tittering laugh was shaking his shoulders, causing tremors to run through his body and his breaths to become hitched in his throat. He didn’t cry, hadn’t since he was a child and his father had more or less told him to harden the fuck up, the Outback would eat the weak ones alive and Jamie wasn’t going to succumb to that. To say that he hadn’t shed a tear over Skip would have been a lie, but he had learnt very quickly to hide those emotions from other Junkers, especially ones that wanted to kill him. He trusted Roadhog now, with his life and his treasure, with his emotions though, that was a completely different ball park that they had not yet entered. It was best to simply keep quiet for now. 

It took Roadhog’s massive hand leaning heavily against his shoulder to quieten the Junker down, his twitching had stopped, his giggles had died into the still air. The both of them stood, watching the twisted metal gleam in the baking heat of the Outback, the small silhouettes of the community stirring beneath their watchful gaze. Junkrat knew that this town was home to the Enforcers, he was convinced that Hog use to be a part of their ranks and he was hoping that was going to come in handy with what he had planned, of course he hadn’t shared this new step with his body guard yet.

“Look Hog, I know we have ta go to Junkertown but can’t we just avoid it or somethin’?”

“No.”

“Oh come on mate, every single person and their fuckin’ dog are after me and you wanna take me to the most populated place in the Outback?”

Roadhog was silent, Junkrat fuming and muttering beside him how the whole situation wasn’t fair. Hog didn’t care about fair, all he cared about was his payment at the end of this entire ordeal and of course his bike. He had left it in Junkertown for repairs and he hoped whoever had been working on it was smart enough to not strip it for parts. If they did then Roadhog was going to have to be responsible in ripping the guy a new colon. Hog stopped his thoughts, his peripheral through the mask catching the crazed Junker fiddling with his harness, the material looked bare without the bombs strapped to them. His other had was clutching the detonator, lid flipped and the red button glaringly obvious.

Roadhog’s massive hand clenched onto his scrap gun, he didn’t think that Junkrat was crazy enough to try and blow him up but one could never be too sure when practically every brain in the Outback had been fried by the radiation from the core. Taking a deep breath to steady his impulses, Hog actually listened to the little Junker. Rat was tugging at his hair, what was left of it and muttering about warnings and that girl again, Skip. He mentioned her quite often in his ramblings, she must of warned him from the place, would definitely explain his sudden hesitation at approaching Junkertown.

It made no sense to Roadhog why one little Junker would listen to someone else’s advice without ever questioning it, it was confusing to him. Hog had cut all those ties long ago when he was still Mako, he listened to only his own advice, took his own experiences to heart and made sure he never forgot a mistake. Repeating something stupid could easily end in his life being snuffed out. It wasn’t going to happen of course, he was the one man apocalypse, it was going to take a lot to be able to bring him down.

“Can’t go, can’t go. She said no, said it was dangerous. I don’t have enough stock, not enough ammo for this kinda thing… Need to make more then I’ll be safe.”

“You’ll be fine.” Roadhog grumbled causing Junkrat to stop his rambling, his face contorted and confused as a tremor ran through him as if he couldn’t comprehend how Roadhog had heard him. A frustrated growl escaped the young Junker as he hobbled towards his hulking body guard and indicated to the horizon, pointing for emphasis. 

“See that? That, is Junkertown and that place is not only filled with fuck wits that wanna tear me apart ‘cause of me treasure, it’s also filled with the Enforcers and those cunts would do a lot worse!” Junkrat stopped suddenly, face flushing red with anger as he watched Roadhog chuckle and wheeze beneath his mask. “What’s so funny you fat bastard?”

“The Enforcers are no trouble.”

“Oh, and how do you know?”

“I use to be one of them.” That had managed to shut Junkrat up. He was standing there completely still for at least five seconds which had to be some kind of record since Roadhog had known him. There was something in Junkrat’s amber coloured eyes, it looked like fear, but with a smile that stretched his thin features Hog managed to define it as admiration and it made the larger man shift uncomfortably. No one had looked at him like that in a very long time, not since the Liberation Front. He pushed the Junker away with a huge meaty palm and a grunt, Rat laughed, a high pitched giggle that grated on his nerves immediately.

“I knew it!”

“Shut up.”

“No! I knew it, I ain’t stupid. I knew ya looked like one. So does that mean you were part of the group that tried ta track me down?”

“No.”

“Oh…” That seemed to calm the Junker down somewhat. Roadhog smiled beneath his mask, thankful that the old worn leather did an excellent job of hiding it from his employer. “So wait… you ain’t an Enforcer no more, ya more like a bounty hunter right?”

Roadhog nodded tugging slightly on Junkrat’s harness to spur the younger one into following him, he shadowed the colossal man, practically clinging to his arm and Hog had to shake him off a few times. He could understand the Junker’s hesitation and anxiety surrounding the situation, he was the most wanted man in the Outback and Roadhog was taking him to the highest populated area. It was like leading a lamb to the slaughter, a rather skinny twitchy lamb but one none the less. 

“Just stay close and keep your mouth shut.”

“Sure thing mate, no problem. I’ll just keep me head low… nothin’ will go wrong. I’ll shut up I promise, keep me mouth zipped, won’t leave ya side… I’m ramblin’ again ain’t I? Sorry.” Junkrat’s eyes scanned the small town, pieces of mismatched metal creating half collapsed structures. Scavengers and Junkers hurried from the blistering heat, they swapped scraps for supplies before disappearing into small hovel like bars. 

Junkrat’s breath caught in his throat the moment a local passed too close to them, a startled cry strangled from his lips escaping like a high pitched whine. He backed up into Roadhog’s side, the larger man steadying him with a firm hand. His breaths were quick and short, his teeth tearing at his cuticles as Hog forced his hands to lower from his mouth again, his deep grunt catching Junkrat’s attention ever so briefly. Looking into those soulless glass lenses, Junkrat could tell that the body guard wasn’t exactly worried about him but probably more worried about him being recognised. He took in a sharp breath, air hissing through his pointed teeth as he let it out slowly in an attempt to calm his thumping heart. Anxiety was gnawing at his insides, twisting his gut in the most uncomfortable way.

Roadhog slowed his pace, not that he was moving particularly fast but Junkrat seemed to be battling his own demons and would stop every few moments to either bite his nails or comb his fingers through his tangled hair. Roadhog had to stay close to his boss now more than ever, on the road there could be leniencies, one could see to the horizon and sneaking up on someone with no cover was rather difficult. Here though, there were too many people and too many places to hide, no wonder Junkrat looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin. He would have to keep an eye on the twitchy little rat, keep him close and hopefully just the sight of Roadhog would scare most potential threats off. Honestly in Junkertown there were only a few that could pose a problem, the Enforcers were one and the odd bounty hunter would be the other. 

Junkertown was a frequent stop for most inhabitants of the Outback, their shelter was second to none, the pubs were always a nice change of pace and one could find anything they needed in Junkertown. Information was easy enough to come by if you knew the right people, the food and water supplies here were better than those of other towns. Everyone knew that this place was corrupted, that the scrap you traded wasn’t worth the portions you got in return, the money you made could be squabbled away on bets and alcohol. Life here was rough at best, but the security that surrounded Junkertown was the reason for its many inhabitants, people knew that they could have a business here without it being ripped out from under them or robbed. The Enforcers made sure of that.

Roadhog felt Rat bump into him, his hand reaching out to steady his small charge out of habit and instinct. He could remember this place, every street, every dark alleyway was ingrained in his mind and would never be forgotten. Hog knew which places to avoid, the popular hang outs and of course the basic patrol routes the Enforcers would take. If Junkrat stuck with him than everything was going to be alright, they only had to get his bike then get out of town, head towards the coast like the Rat wanted. He had no idea what his boss was planning in Sydney and honestly getting out of the wastelands was probably the best thing for them, but something in Hog told him he was going to miss it. 

“Hog, you're old ain't ‘cha?” Junkrat piped up, still nervously twitching beside Roadhog, wringing his hands together and jumping at every unknown sound. The sharp elbows to Hog’s gut was beginning to grate on his nerves.

“What gave it away?” 

“Just me smarts. Anyway, do ya remember what it was like before? The Outback I mean.”

“Dry, hot and deadly.” Roadhog realised his boss was just trying to distract himself from the many dangers that possibly lurked around every corner 

“I mean before.”

“That was before.”

“Oh. So this place has always been a shit hole. I shoulda known.”

“You talk to much.”

“Yeah, I've heard that before. It's just the way I am mate, better get use to it. I'm just doing enough talking for the both of us. You’re not exactly a source of sparklin’ conversation.”

Roadhog grunted, shrugging his massive shoulders as his eyes rolled beneath the lenses of his mask. Somedays he was thankful for the stifling thick leather, it was doing quite a good job of hiding his expressions along with helping him breathe in the radiated wasteland. A familiar sign caught his eyes, rusted and falling apart but the old rubber tires suspended by wire was enough for the locals to know that this was a mechanic. One of the three that had set up shop in Junkertown, this one though was the best, the only place Hog would trust his beloved bike to be without him by its side. He could hear Junkrat’s uneven footing behind him, the heavy clunk of his peg leg and the dull thud of his boot

“Hog. Long time no see! Thought ya would’ve been back sooner for that ol’ rust bucket of yours!” The woman, bored at the desk immediately perked up when she had seen the colossal man enter. Roadhog didn’t reply but then again he never really did. “If ya looking for the ol’ cunt, he’s out back. Puttin’ the finishin’ touches on some fuckin’ thing.” 

Junkrat slowly peered out from behind his body guard. There was a young woman behind the desk, she was maybe in her mid twenties, similar in age to him and probably looked about forty like him as well. Her hair had been shaved back, a buzz cut that was entirely too uneven on one side, her frame was almost twig like, if it wasn’t for her feminine voice, Junkrat could of sworn she was a bloke. He finally stepped inside the cool concrete building and he heard her gasp.

“What’s this then Hog? You got ya self a little pet! Bit of a fixer upper if ya ask me. This your new job?”

“Yes.”

“Well if it ain’t the most wanted man in the Outback-“

“I fucken’ knew it!”

“…”

“How can someone miss lookin’ at ya? You’ve got the blonde hair, dirty skin, not ta mention the crudest prosthetic I’ve ever seen. I’m Cass, known Hog since I was a tyke, he’s always runnin’ that bike inta the ground. Don’t look so fuckin’ scared ya pussy! No one’s gonna get ya in here, no one would dare approach ya when you’ve got the one man apocalypse on ya side.”

“How comforting…” Junkrat drawled sarcastically. He was more confident now within the shade of the building, slowly approaching the counter that Cass was leaning against. Roadhog watched as all the tension seemed to seep out of his shoulders, the young Junker was probably happy to have someone to talk to his own age. Immediately Junkrat lured Cass into a conversation, happy for the distraction Roadhog signalled that he was going to go out the back to retrieve his bike and at least speak to the old cunt and find out what had actually been wrong this time around.

“You’re a twitchy lil’ fucker ain’t cha?”

“Yeah well you’d be twitchy too if everyone wanted ta fuckin’ kill ya!”

“True.” Cass shrugged with a casual smile, suddenly she reached forward, grasping at Junkrat’s hands and inspecting the ripped and dirty nails. He tried to pull away from her, but Cass held on firm, clicking her tongue in disapproval. “Man you’re like a fuckin’ dog chewin’ on everythin’. Sit the fuck down and let me fix this mess up will ya?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothin’ except for the fact ya chewin’ ya fingers bloody. I’ll give ya somethin’ to pick at instead.” Cass pet the table beside her, smiling when she watched Junkrat quite nimbly perch up onto it, he moved pretty swift for a man with a fake leg. “You anxious ain’t ya?”

“What?”

“Never mind. Doubt a guy like you even knows that word. I’ll look after ya. I’ll have to while Hogs busy… he’ll fuckin’ kick my arse otherwise.” Cass muttered as she pulled out a little vile of something black. “Put ya hand out, just need ya ta hold as still as possible.”

—-

“Mako.”

“Lambie.”

“Took ya long enough ta get here ya old prick.” The mechanic seemed to of gone ignored, Roadhog moving towards the bright chipped paint of the old bike that was propped in the corner. At first glance Hog could tell it was in working order, he knew quite a bit about the bike, but sometimes there were issues even he couldn’t tackle. He knew Lambie wouldn’t have done him wrong, the man had been servicing the bike for many years. They had a long past together, before the destruction of the Fusion Core, Mako had met Lambie in the Liberation Front. The older man had been some what as a inspiration to the young Rutledge, a man looking for freedom and revenge amongst the chaos of the Omnic crisis.

“I had ta walk.”

“Yeah that takes a lot out of ya.” Lambie chuckled, wiping his hands on an old greased cloth. “She’s in good workin’ order, had ta replace a few things but I shouldn’t have ta see ya for awhile.”

“How’s Cass?”

“She fuckin’ hates it here, what ya expect? Young girl like her doesn’t want ta be cooped up in the shop. Much safer for her in here then out there.” Lambie leant against the counter, watching Mako as he inspected the old motor bike. The large man seemed to be going over every component with a fine tooth comb, the glass lenses of the mask peering at the inner workings. 

“How much?”

“Usual fee Mako, cause I like ya… but I did have ta replace ya gear shift so an extra coupla hundred would suffice. Coffee?”

Roadhog grunted, he wouldn’t touch that boiled dirt with a ten foot pole. He missed coffee, good coffee that one use to get in the old cafes and rest stops along the road before everything had gone to shit. He dug into the pocket of his pants, retrieving the minimum amount that Lambie would accept, normally Hog would give him a little extra but he had a feeling that he was going to need as much as he could get. He had yet to be paid from Junkrat and he doubted he would see anything any time soon, they would need to stretch the money as much as possible for now.

“What ya doin’ now Mako? Killin’ people, deliveries, or are ya back with the Enforcers?”

“Body guard.”

“For who?”

“Some twitchy little fuckin’ rat from out fuckin’ woop woop way.”

“Pay good?”

Roadhog shrugged, no use telling Lambie that he hadn’t been paid yet, the older man would probably tell Mako to shaft the kid and go do something more profitable. Of course, Lambie didn’t know about the treasure Junkrat had, about the secret that had been exposed at the fusion core; Roadhog knew this man but he wouldn’t doubt him for a second to hand Rat over to the Enforcers and gather the generous reward they were offering for the kid. Roadhog wouldn’t lie, it was very tempting. Something inside him, what dregs were left of Mako Rutledge told him that he shouldn’t abandoned Junkrat, that it was going to lead to something much more exciting than the life he had been leading lately.

“I get it, ya don’t wanna tell me, but it ain’t like ya to be stingy on the exchange mate.”

“Cash is a little tight. Next time.”

“Yeah yeah…” Lambie waved him off taking a sip of his coffee as he slid a glass of fairly clean water towards the large body guard. Roadhog eyed it warily before lifting his mask just slightly to down the water in two gulps.

“What the Enforcers like now days?” Roadhog grumbled, placing the glass down delicately, the object dwarfed between his massive hands. He needed to know what he was dealing with, he hadn’t had trouble with the Enforcers since he left their ranks, now though he was looking out for another and Junkrat was a very wanted man. 

“Same as always. Fuckin’ cut throat bunch now-a-days. Have a new commander organising shit, heard he’s a real cunt,” Lambie chuckled into the rim of his mug. “Although haven’t had the pleasure of meetin’ him myself. You lookin’ for trouble Mako?”

“Tryin’ to avoid it.”

“Gotcha. High priority target eh? Not the first time you’ve lead a lamb to the slaughter.” 

Roadhog grunted, it wasn’t like that, he wasn’t leading Junkrat into one of the most dangerous places in the Outback just so he could get the kid killed. No, he was more useful to him alive surprisingly, not to mention the Junker may have had a short attention span but he was smart when it came to his treasure and his craft. Roadhog was going to receive nothing as payment until they got to Sydney, that had been the deal as much as it pissed him off. He needed him alive and for that to happen he couldn’t let him out of his sight. Lambie placing the mug down on the crowded bench top caught his attention, the eyes of the older man studying him and Roadhog tilted his head slightly confused about the worry reflected on Lambie’s grizzled face.

“What’s worryin’ ya Mako, you haven’t gotten ya’self into more trouble have ya? This new job of yours better be worth it, the Enforcers wont hesitate to shoot on sight now days. I swear if you bring fuckin’ trouble to my shop and endanger Cass I will fuckin’ strangle ya!”

“Understood. I’m leavin’ anyway… just came for the bike.”

“Gonna be a tight squeeze what with two of ya on it.”

Roadhog froze at the throw away comment, his eyes focused on the beast of a bike. The machine was huge, it had to be to support his stature, but he hadn’t thought about having Junkrat on there. The thought of the kid chatting in his ear over the roar of the engine caused him to cringe slightly. He was going to have to get a fucking side car or something, no way he was going to have to worry about the kid falling off every second they were on the dirt road. Inspecting the bike he wondered whether it would be better to sell it and buy something that was going to be a lot more suitable. He couldn’t do it though, the beast had been his, one of the few things he had cherished since the world went to shit; if he got rid of it, he’d never forgive himself.

“Didn’t think of that did ya?” Lambie chuckled. 

“Shut up.”

“Look, Mako… I’ve been pretty reasonable with you over the years, but I’m sayin’ this as a mate. Ya gettin’ ya’self into deep shit and I wont bail ya out this-” A loud crash echoed throughout the workshop. ‘Fuckin’ Cass, bloody grub can’t keep outta trouble.”

Roadhog frowned beneath his mask, his body was on edge, every fibre of his being was bristling. Something wasn’t right, the noise was to sudden, there was no laughter from Junkrat either, which is what set him off. The kid enjoyed destruction and if something had indeed broken he should have heard that peeling high pitched insane laughter. His hand hovered by his scrap gun, knuckles clenched and his muscles tense, he listened for something, anything that would elude to the Rat being alright. Another crash.

“Fuckin’ hell Cass! I’ve warned ya multiple times!”

“Hog!” There was fear in Cass’s screaming voice. Lambie and Roadhog came tearing through the workshop, the first thing the hulking bodyguard noticed was the lack of his charge. He had been right, he shouldn’t have left him alone for as long as he had, he shouldn’t have put Junkrat’s safety on the shoulders of a young girl.

“Where the fuck is he?”

“The Enforcers… they took him.” Cass panted, she looked a little roughed up but otherwise she seemed fine.

“Mako, don’t go doin’ anythin’ stupid.”

“I’m gonna make them squeal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos guys! <3 
> 
> Sorry for leaving this one on a cliffhanger too. Once again this was gonna be one long ass chapter that I've decided to break down into either three or two parts. Haven't gotten that far yet.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter guys! I've been busy and it's just going to get worse in the coming months. Working in retail during the christmas period is going to fucking suck balls! So next update will come between christmas and new year hopefully, if not just after. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Well this was definitely not part of the plan, well it was, but he didn’t think it was going to happen like this. It had thrown his whole mental map on its head and he was struggling to remember the next steps he had listed. Step one was find the Enforcers. Step two was a blank, which was frustrating for Junkrat as he had been repeating this on a mantra since he found out they were going to be in Junkertown. Now he was more frustrated that Cass didn’t get to finish his nails before he was dragged kicking and biting out of the mechanics. He had given up fighting, the Enforcers were an impressive bunch, not as big as Hog but they posed a pretty intimidating picture. Junkrat was hanging between two of them, their grip tight on his arms as his feet dragged through the dirt, he decided going limp was going to be more frustrating for them. He was sporting some hefty bruises and swelling on his cheek but other than being man handled he was left untouched.

“You blokes even know who I am?”

“Everyone knows who you are.”

“Oi. So I’m like a fuckin’ celebrity? Sweet!”

“Shut up or we will make you shut up.” The one on his left seemed to be the more talkative of the two, Junkrat wondered whether that was a prerequisite of being an Enforcer, Hog didn’t talk much either.

“I doubt it. Ya would’ve done it already. I’ve gotta feelin’ ya need me awake and kickin’.”-Junkrat giggled-“Pretty poor form whatcha did. Poor Cass, think ya scared her half ta death. Not ta mention that ya smudged her work, who’s gonna finish it now, this burley fucker?”

The Enforcer to Junkrat’s right grumbled beneath her breath, jostling him slightly and earning another laugh for her ministrations. They weren’t exactly being gentle with him, but Junkrat simply couldn’t bring himself to be afraid of them. That little voice in his head kept reminding him of the plan, the one he had forgotten, this was a part of it but he still hadn’t figured out what to do next. Blowing them up seemed like the right answer, but out here, as they dragged him through the middle of Junkertown, it just seemed like a bad idea. Not to mention they had taken his launcher and detonator, his harness still lacking its grenades. Hog would probably come for him, that was if the big fucking idiot could track him down. He had done it once before without even knowing his patterns or his plans so Junkrat was fairly confident the bodyguard could do it again.

“This lil’ piggy went ta market, this lil’ piggy stayed home-”

“He’s as mad as a cut snake he is.”

“Oi! That’s not fair, ya don’t even know me.”

“We know enough.”

“Holy shit! You’re a chick, thought ya were a bloke… Sorry don’t mean ta offend, just-” He received a right hook to his jaw for the comment and it successfully shut him up. The female Enforcer’s grip on his right arm suddenly becoming uncomfortably tight. He noticed in his silence that the residents of Junkertown seemed to part for the Enforcers, they were curious to what was happening but no one seemed to want to get in their way and enquire. Shame really, one good distraction and he could probably slip away from them. He’d be shot instantly but at least they wouldn’t get their filthy grubby hands on his treasure, Hog could have that.

“Soooo… are we there yet?”

“Shut up!” Both Enforcers snapped.

“Just let me go alright? I’ll make it worth ya while, probably could give ya a much better reward then whatever the fuck ya gonna get. I’ve already made this deal once, worked that time, don’t see why it won’t work now… whatcha say?” Junkrat looked between the two of them, both faces stoic. “Yeah yeah I get it, shut up.”

“The boss is gonna be happy that we got ya.” The male Enforcer grinned, a sickening smile that showed rotting teeth, a gold premolar could be seen. They were leading Junkrat to a fairly sizeable building made from the remains of an old house, reinforced with sheet metal. It had a wired fence around its perimeter, sharp razor at the top, two large Enforcers guarding the entrance.

“Oh is this a party? Need some fireworks?” Junkrat giggled madly, his head thrown back as the two dragged him the last few metres to the entrance.

“ _This_ is what the boss has been having difficulty tracking?” One of the guards scoffed.

“’s'cuse me cunt, but I can be rather wily.”

“Doubt it. Take him inside, the cells free. Boss should be back soon.”

The gates opened with a squeak of metal and a grinding of gears, it rolled back into place and Junkrat was forced into the darkened building. For something that he would considered a hideout for large burley men and one woman-he had seen so far-it was respectfully clean. Everything seemed to have a place, sure it was a little dusty, red dirt coating every surface, but that just made it easier to see where the high traffic areas were. There were distinct smudges and foot prints lining the floor, his dragging feet creating a clear path from the front of the hideout to his new home. The cell lived up to its name, dark room with nothing but a cot and a bucket, there was a thick metal door that cut it off from the rest of the house. 

“I asked for a five star suite.” He was shoved to the floor, cutting his complaint short as he felt the crack of his nose against the hard wood. When Rat sat up, he could taste blood dribbling down his top lip. “Oi! That ain’t no way ta treat a guest!”

“To think we were chasing this fucker around the Omnium only for him to end up here in Junkertown. Pretty poor planning.” The female Enforcer laughed along with her friend but both of them slowly died out when their chuckles were deafened by Junkrat’s high tittering laughter.

“Oh, ya drongos. I’m exactly where I wanna be.” The door was slammed in Junkrat’s face, his laughter falling off into quite giggles as a tremor ran through his body. Excited by the cot he crawled towards it, wiping his bloody nose on the sheets and climbing onto the lumpy mattress. Softest thing he had encountered for a bed in years, it was probably suppose to be demeaning but he had grown up in the radiated wastelands of the Outback, to him this place was like a fucking palace.

That was until the boredom kicked in. 

The ceiling had exactly seventeen cracks in it. There were twenty nine floorboards about a hands width wide. The metal door had nine bolts in it fastening it to the frame. He was running out of things to count, the bed springs would probably be next but that would require Junkrat to give up his seat and he wasn’t planning on doing that any time soon. The blood from his nose had long since dried and cracked against the skin of his top lip. Thin fingers were massaging his thigh, kicking his peg leg, the satisfying squeak did nothing to sedate the pain. This was the worst of it, the vicious cramps and the memories they brought with them. He could remember the teeth tearing into his flesh, feel the pressure crush his bones and his screaming echoing in his mind.

Enough! Junkrat’s crudely painted nails dug into the fabric of his shorts, the pressure squeezing against his muscles. He rolled the hem of his pants up, bunching them around his mid thigh. Shivering fingers fumbled with the belts and straps, thick leather releasing from his skin and allowing the cool air to hit him. It was probably stupid for him to be removing his leg right now, he had no idea when he was going to have to leap up and escape but the heavy metal dropped to the floor with a loud thud, taking some of the pain with it. Agony was reduced to a dull ache deep within his bones, he gently ran his fingers over the red raw skin of his stump. He had been wearing the prosthetic for too long, the metal had chaffed his skin and now with it free from the friction he could feel the scratching pain. The crudely stitched scars were a striking contrast, raised and white, criss-crossing over his leg to constantly remind him of the pain he had endured that day.

Junkrat looked to the peg leg laying forgotten on the floor, he had to remind himself time and time again that he was due for an upgrade. He needed something that was going to be more comfortable for lengthy wear, he usually took it off at night, but travelling with Roadhog hadn’t lent him that luxury. He was paying the price now, the dull ache in his leg throbbing with every breath he took. Junkrat threw himself back on the cot, the springs groaning under his weight, the lumpy mattress digging into his back. It was time to count the ceiling cracks again, maybe something would be different the second time around. Or not, there were still seventeen, that one though branched. Could he classify that one as two?

The boredom was beginning to drive Junkrat crazy, if they were trying to torture him then they were doing a fantastic job. His finger nails were bloody, the skin around them torn and frayed, his teeth chewing nervously, blood on his lips that he could taste in the back of his throat. Jamie had no idea how long he had been locked away for, but what view of light he had from under the door had begun to fade in the darkening hideout. It had lit up again suddenly from lamp light, the artificial glow sneaking through the cracks and offering him a slither of an idea to what time it was. Junkrat wondered where Hog had gotten to, what was delaying his bodyguard and was he actually going to retrieve him. What if Hog wasn’t coming for him?

A sharp pain shot through Junkrat’s chest, his hand clutching pathetically at his harness, wrapping around the material and tugging gently. Breaths hissed through his teeth, quick pants smothering his pathetic whining. Roadhog wasn’t coming for him, he should have been here by now, what was taking him so long? Did he decide to leave Jamie? There was really nothing keeping him tied to the contract, Roadhog hadn’t received any sort of payment yet so what loyalty did he have to Junkrat? None. A tremor ran through his thin body, bubbling up past his lips in a choked giggle, his anxious energy having no other escape. He had a plan, the god damn fucking plan was useless without his bombs, he was going to have to sit here stewing in his own juices until he could come up with a new step two. 

Junkrat had wanted revenge against the Enforcers, they had taken Skip from him, had probably killed her slowly and he wanted them to pay for that injustice. He had never gone back for her, had never stayed to help protect her, this was the last thing he could offer. In hindsight he should of told Roadhog about his plan, at least that way the bodyguard would of known that him being captured wasn’t the worst thing in the world. If only he had his bombs. Grumbling loudly, Junkrat snarled and sat up. His eyes scanned the room again, maybe there was something he had missed the first time around. No, still seventeen cracks and still twenty nine floorboards. Did nothing in this fucking place change?

Footsteps echoed down the hardwood, he could feel the vibrations through the floor. Scrambling for his peg leg, Junkrat fumbled to connect it into place, sliding leather straps and fastening the buckles. He slid his pants back down just as the bolt on the door unhooked and it was swung open quite violently, hinges squeaking in protest. Light flooded the room blinding the Junker for a fraction of a second before he acknowledged the two silhouettes framed by the door. One was the female Enforcer, her shadow rather intimidating when he was cornered in the tiny room, the other was much smaller and somehow familiar. They looked like they didn’t belong here, the Enforcer’s were like mountains and this one was like a spindly tree growing between the gaps. 

“Hello Jamie.”

“No… what the fuck? No!”

—-

Roadhog had left the mechanics in a fit of rage, anger bubbling beneath the surface of his mask causing each breath to huff violently out of the ports. The delay with Lambie and Cass had put him behind the Enforcers’ movements, lucky for him there was only one place they would head with a prisoner that they wanted to talk. Their hideout was in plain site, the locals needing a constant reminder that there was indeed a law enforcement in this god forsaken town. No one had ever been brave enough to storm their perimeter, that was until the one man apocalypse came along. Roadhog was going to make them bleed. It wasn’t that he cared for Junkrat’s life, but he had a contract to uphold and he’d have trouble finding work after this if he failed. Word travelled fast in the Outback surprisingly and he didn’t need rumours floating around that he couldn’t keep someone alive. A bad track record would mean the end of his business and Roadhog liked the spoils a little to much to have that avenue cut out from under him.

The hideout had not changed at all since his days within its walls, the only different thing was the chain link fence surrounding the area, guards stationed at the gate but everywhere else surprisingly barren. He could easily cut his way through it, going over was not an option unless he wanted his skin to be ripped to shreds by razor wire. Hopefully most of the Enforcers would be out doing their jobs which would leave their base of operations surprisingly empty. Although Roadhog had no idea how much their ranks had grown since his time there, thinned ranks inside could still mean about fifteen men and although he was a forced to be reckoned with, even those were horrible odds. He was just hoping that Junkrat had managed to keep his fucking mouth shut and not killed in the meantime, if he broke in and all he found was the limp body of the crazed Junker he was going to be pissed.

Roadhog had cased the place until the sun had begun to set and shrouded Junkertown in deep shadow. He wasn’t exactly an easy man to miss, so having the extra bonus of darkness was going to make breaking in a whole lot easier, it was going to take a lot for his over seven foot frame to creep into the hideout. Luckily Roadhog was smart, he knew that sneaking around was not his strongest point, his footsteps were heavy, his chain rattled with each movement and his breaths wheezed loudly through the mask’s ports. What he needed was a distraction.

“Hey.”

“What the fuck do you want?”

“Watch ya mouth.” Roadhog wheezed, staring at the two kids that were hanging out way after their curfew. It was not unheard of, most kids either grew up in small gangs or without their parents, they had to learn to survive as quick as possible or the life of a Junker would end early for them. From what he could tell they were siblings, they looked similar enough, although it was hard to tell underneath all the grime and red dirt. Life on the streets was a rough start for most kids, but it built character and taught them many valuable aspects that they would use later in life. “Got a job for ya.” 

“Yeah… what is it?” To the kids credit, they didn’t seem intimidated by him.

“Diversion.” Roadhog watched as the two of them looked to the gates and wicked little smirks crossed over their dark features. 

“Whatta we get?”

“Money.”

“Pony up now or we ain’t doin’ shit.”

Roadhog grumbled, the sound enough startling the two young Junkers. The little girl stood there, palm outstretched waiting whilst the boy stood behind her, wicked smirk stretched on his shallow face. A small wad of cash was pulled from his pocket, a few red notes dwarfed between Roadhog’s massive fingers and the girl scrambled to take them. She flicked each note as if checking it before thrusting them towards her brother. Roadhog watched the two, he probably wouldn’t kill the kids, the money wasn’t worth it if they decided to bolt, but he could threaten them a little and make them regret double crossing him. 

“You got yourself a deal fat man!” There was a frustrated grunt from Roadhog. “What exactly do ya want us to do?” 

“Distract the guards long enough so I can get in.”

“Easy peasy! Come on Danno.”

“This is a bad idea…”

“This is somethin’ that will allow us to eat for the next few weeks. Come on!” 

Roadhog grinned beneath his mask watching as the two young Junkers moved more towards the front gate whispering to each other. He waited that few tense seconds, that moment when those kids could chose whether to go ahead and run or risk their lives, lucky for him they decided to go ahead with whatever little plan they concocted. It gave Hog enough time to sneak around the side of the chain link, to rip through the wire with a bit of force and the sharp razor edges of his hook, the small sharp metal edges catching his skin lightly as he ducked through the hole he made. Now it was time to look for the Rat. He could hear Junkrat’s cries, surprisingly he wasn’t shocked by that, he didn’t expect the kid to shut up when he was captured. The screams lit a boiling rage inside him, he needed to find the little shit, needed to know whether Junkrat was safe. Roadhog couldn't let these new and honestly unwelcome feelings cloud his judgement, he needed to find the Junker’s stuff and get them both out of there with minimal fatalities. Not that Roadhog cared for the Enforcers anymore, but they were both still dangerously low on ammunition. 

So he had to get in, grab Junkrat and get out silently… easier than it sounded. 

Especially when he could hear the Rat kicking up a storm with his cursing and yelling. It did serve as a good distraction, what Enforcers there were in the base seemed delighted to wander off and see what was going on with their current prisoner. Getting inside was as simple as squeezing through the narrow doorframe. Roadhog believed that if one wanted to be left alone in the Outback they had to follow simple rules: be intimidating, back up threats with actions and if all else failed act like you owned the place. He grunted a greeting to an Enforcer as he passed and they didn’t even stop to question who he was or what he was doing, it made traversing the familiar floor plan easy. Hog found his charge’s weapons before he had even caught sight of Junkrat, the launcher, detonator and the one mine he had left were dwarfed in his large hands. Somehow and with fumbling more than he would like to admit, Roadhog managed to tie them to his belt, the extra weight feeling weird as it bumped against his hip. One down and now just the insane Junker to go.

Following the sound of Junkrat’s vicious snarling and cursing was easy, Hog simply blended into the small crowd of Enforcers that had gathered to see their captain torture Junkrat. It wasn’t the easiest thing for him to be ignored when one was over seven foot and weighed a couple of hundred kilograms, the Enforcers though were rowdy and focused on the bloodied and bruised Junkrat who was spitting at the commander’s feet. Rage boiled inside of Roadhog, his fists clenching tightly by his side, knuckles white and muscles itching to take out every single one of them. To the kid’s credit, he was taking the beating like a man. From what he could tell Junkrat had yet to release any important information, he was on his knees, covered in his own blood and giggling like a fucking maniac. The Enforcer commander was becoming more frustrated, his movements sloppy, his taunts falling flat.

Junkrat was Roadhog’s charge, he was responsible for protecting the kid and just looking at him now, Roadhog knew he had failed to do that. Rat was covered in bruises, his thin shallow face swollen and bleeding, cuts were fresh on his body but they didn’t appear deep. The Enforcer Commander seemed to be enjoying himself, the way he was taunting and boasting to Junkrat seemed to alert Roadhog that there was some bad blood between them. That made the torture personal and it showed with Rat’s wounds, mainly around his face and lips, probably an attempt to shut him up. He cried out, high pitched and full of pain, something in Roadhog’s chest tightened a growling huff escaped the mask’s ports. Junkrat must of heard the sound, he looked up through swollen and bruised eyelids and focused onto his hulking bodyguard, smirking. 

“What are ya grinning about ya little cunt? Things are just gonna get a lot worse for ya.” Baz threatened suddenly seeming uneasy when Rat’s grin grew wider.

“I doubt it!” Junkrat’s vicious laughter tittered off with a firm hit to his gut, he sputtered and coughed groaning with his pain.

“Where is it?”

“This little piggy got none! This little piggy” -Junkrat glanced towards the commander- “squealed all the way back fuckin’ home.”

Roadhog saw the rage on the Commander, he could hear Junkrat’s hiccuping giggles and he knew he had pushed things a little too far, that the kid was going to be lucky to escape with his life after this. Hog shouldered through the crowd, the Enforcers parting for his larger bulk but voicing their annoyance and confusion to who he really was. The Commander’s eyes turned to the crowds, locked with the glassy soulless lenses of his mask, fear trickling over his features. He glanced between Junkrat and the behemoth of a man, fitting the puzzle pieces into place and Hog could see the figurative penny drop. 

“You’re gonna squeal Baz, I’m gonna hear ya cry and I’m gonna savour that sound for as long as I fuckin’ live.”

“Surround them, subdue the big fucker!” Baz backed away from the rising commotion.

“Hog! I hope ya got a plan, mine fuckin’ backfired on me!” Junkrat scrambled to his feet, peg leg slipping in his own blood and spit, his tied hands causing him to lose his balance, falling to the floor again in a pathetic tangle of limbs. 

Roadhog reached out, massive fingers clutching around a thin elbow and hoisting the kid roughly to his feet, his scrap gun rising in his other hand, a load of bolts and shrapnel tearing through the insides of an Enforcer who had advanced on them. It was enough to cause the others to hesitate and give himself and Junkrat some room to manoeuvre. He felt Junkrat fiddling by his side, cursing beneath his breath. There was a tug and a triumphant squeak and now the kid’s hands were pulling at the ropes that held him, Hog’s hook had also sliced his skin in his hurry. Junkrat’s greedy fingers fumbled with his weapons, beaming up at his bodyguard with blood stained lips. Roadhog saw the missing teeth immediately and he grimaced beneath his mask. 

“Come here!” Hog growled, grasping Junkrat by his harness as pulling the smaller man towards him and away from the gathering Enforcers. 

“Give up! You’re surrounded!” Baz snarled.

“Fuck you!” Junkrat went to leap forward, Roadhog’s giant hand on his shoulder stopping him. Those bright amber eyes focused at the pig like mask, as if studying every detail. Suddenly he nodded, as if understanding the unspoken words between them, Hog hoped they were on the same page, although he thought they were when they first entered Junkertown. The kid had thrown that upside down and look where they were now. Hog held his massive hands up in a placating gesture, a nudge to Junkrat with his elbow caused the kid to copy his movements and do the same.

Roadhog felt the Junker stiffen by his side, felt thin fingers apply pressure to his forearm. Rat’s eyes were large, filled with shock and rimmed with tears, confused Hog looked around trying to decipher what had brought on the sudden change in his charge. He didn’t know much about Junkrat’s life, the kid even with all his ramblings kept that pretty close to his chest and honestly, until now Roadhog hadn’t really cared. A hiccup escaped Junkrat, Roadhog could see that the kid was fuming, his trigger finger looked a little too happy and Roadhog didn’t want to explode today. 

“Easy Rat.”

“No no no. It can’t be!”-Junkrat stumbled backwards into his body guard-“You back stabbin’ cunt!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank all of my loyal readers and everyone who has ever commented or left kudos. Seriously you guys are the best! 
> 
> I'm going to wish you all a happy holidays and I hope you get everything you deserve! 
> 
> Luv ya!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
> 
> Well guys next chapter is here and honestly I put this one off for awhile. It was a part of the story I had always planned but I had changed my mind several times whether to go ahead with it or not. I decided that for Junkrat's character development, to make him closer to the personality he has in game it was the right decision to go ahead. 
> 
> In other words: How Junkrat and Roadhog got out of that mess.

“What the fuck Skip? What the hell are you doin’ with him?” Junkrat sneered, his face twisted into a feral snarl that was filled with his anger and doubt. The Enforcers had them cornered, Roadhog beside him silent but ready to act if they were directly threatened. Junkrat simply stared at Skip, he knew it was her, she was looking a little worse for wear, bags under her eyes and thinner than he remembered. She was alive, but seeing her stand side by side with Baz caused his heart to sink low in his chest. He felt betrayed, that she had joined forces with someone who had made his life growing up a living hell. He felt anger and guilt for leaving her, for never going back for her or staying at the station like he was suppose to. This never would of happened if he had given two shits about what had happened to her. She could still be by his side, instead he had tried to forget about her.

“I think it’s time you gave up Rat.” Baz sneered.

“How could ya join him Skip? Him! Did ya forget what he did to Drew, what he wanted ta do ta me?” Junkrat’s hand clutched at his side, his fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his palm, his eyes flickering between Skip and Baz. 

“I gave her no choice Rat. She either came with me or she died. Survival instincts win out every time.”

“Fuckin’ hell, some choice there.” Junkrat muttered, his thin side pressed up against Roadhog, his launcher loosely clutched in his hand.

“Do you know the best part?” Baz chuckled darkly. “You actually think that she cared about you. The moment I gave her the option she was more than willing to join me, to rat you out if you will.”

“Fuck off, that ain’t true! Right Skip?”

“I’m sorry Jamie…” Skip wouldn’t meet his gaze for a moment before she suddenly stood defiantly. “You left me Rat, you left me in that shack to fucking die. Why didn’t you come back for me?”

“You told me ta run… Skip I didn’t mean-I would‘ve come back for ya if I’d known.” Junkrat went to step forward, Roadhog’s hand giving firm pressure on his shoulder stopped him from approaching Skip. 

“Liar.” Skip spat, crossing her arms over her chest, her head turned away from him. “I should of known that you were just a filthy selfish junk rat!”

Junkrat snarled baring his teeth like a rabid dog at his old partner. Roadhog sensed the shift in the twitchy little fuck, his hopes had been crushed, he felt betrayed and humiliated by someone that he once use to care about. Roadhog could relate. He studied the woman, she seemed like she was about to break, as if one more comment thrown in her direction would cause every single emotion to bubble to the surface on her face. Baz approached her, his hand caressing her cheek and Hog noticed her hesitation, her disgust before she leant into the touch. There was more to this than Junkrat knew, his boss was simply frothing with rage, unable to see the situation that was folding out before them. Honestly it had been all of Junkrat’s fault. If the idiot didn’t have this outrageous plan to take on the Enforcers they wouldn’t be in this fucking mess. 

Over the years, Roadhog had become an expert at reading people’s body language, it said a lot more about their character than the words coming from their mouth. It had helped that he was normally a quiet man, and people seemed to speak so freely, Junkrat being one of them. His boss was silent for once, fuming and bubbling in his own juices. This was obviously a shock for the kid, his long time mentor standing side by side with someone he considered an enemy. It was strange to finally put a face to a name Roadhog had been hearing for the last few months. There was nothing special about her, but once upon a time this shell of a person must of been a formidable foe to be able to survive in the harsh wasteland. Skip had backed away slightly from them, shadowing herself behind Baz and in that moment Roadhog knew that she was spineless, she had been broken.

Junkrat’s fingers were either clawing at his hair or deep within his bloodied lips getting chewed by pointed canines. His body was trembling and soft hiccups were escaping as choked giggles. Roadhog was ready for that moment that the kid was going to snap. Taking the betrayal of someone was no easy task, for anybody, loyalty wasn’t exactly seen much in the Outback but when bonds were formed they were pretty hard to break. Junkrat for the first time in his life was experiencing that hurt and anger that came with someone stabbing you in the back and leaving you to rot. It was why Roadhog mainly worked alone, he had been scarred once and he had immediately learnt his lesson, he was out for himself and himself only. Junkrat was only young, so it had only been a matter of time before he too had experienced these feelings, he was too trusting, too willing to cling to someone like a parasite and in the end that was going to be his downfall. All things considered the kid was taking the news with what dignity he could muster.

“Easy.” Roadhog warned, his hand clutching slightly at Junkrat’s harness. A cry of rage escaped his young ward, the launcher clutched in his twitching fingers, the click of the trigger causing Roadhog to jump back. The cherry bomb bounced once in the deathly quiet room, it bounced a second time before impacting with the chest of an Enforcer. That was when the screams erupted, dwarfed beneath the deafening sound of the explosions, the ringing in Roadhog’s ears were echoing with the insane laughter from Junkrat. His charge had snapped, the twitchy little bastard had finally lost what sanity he had, he was lobbing grenades in a high arc across the room. Roadhog could see amongst the chaos that Baz was making a run for it, dodging his exploding entourage and making a quick escape. The girl, Skip, she was keeping low, scuttling through the carnage and weaving towards the nearest exit.

“Rat… Rat!”

“What ya drongo? Can’t ya see I’m fuckin’ busy?”

“There.” Roadhog pointed towards Baz’s retreating figure, he saw the fire light beneath Junkrat, a manic giggle escaping him as he took after on his loping gate towards the Enforcer’s Commander with a confidence the kid didn’t have five minutes ago. This whole place had erupted in a moment of sheer pained panic, Junkrat had all that rage bubbling inside of him and he had no appropriate outlet, now here Hog was, fighting for his life whilst his boss went after some fucking old bastard to get his revenge. Enforcers lay in pain and begging around him, dying with mangled bodies as their murderer skipped amongst limbs and blood to give chase to Baz.

A hook sailed out through the mess towards the flicker of movement from the corner of his eyes, he felt the satisfying snag of the clinking chain, the squelch as the hook dug into their side. With a slight tug, a cry of pain reached his ears, the high pitched wail that did not belong to an Enforcer. His massive hands faltered, his fingers stilled in reeling her in, begging and weak, the hook dug into the soft flesh of her side. Skip was looking at him with large pleading eyes, there were tears rimming her lashes and blood on her hands as she grasped at the base of his hook trying to still it’s movements in her side. There was no gentle way to remove it, she would bleed out the moment he tugged it from her skin. She looked beyond her years, tired and withered from the life she had lead up until this point. Junkrat had looked at her with such devotion, he had talked about her constantly and to have her side with the Enforcers had created the bloodshed before them.

Did she deserve it?

“Please.”

“You’re in no situation to be begging.” Roadhog huffed, his hand pulling on the chain and watching as Skip cried out, the hook in her side tearing at her flesh. He didn’t really know what she had done to Junkrat, all he knew that his boss was pissed and it had something to do with her betrayal. She had scorned Junkrat and after everything she had done for the kid it must of been like a knife in the Junker’s spine. He watched the tears stream from her eyes, her hands clutching pathetically at the metal of the hook to try and keep it from tearing her further.

“Just promise me somethin’.”

“Why?” Roadhog tugged and Skip fell to the ground with a pained cry, the hook snapping back to his hand, clipping it onto his belt with meaty fingers, blood dripping down its shiny surface. 

“Look after him…” Skip choked out between breaths, her hands grasping her side. “I had no other choice… I didn’t tell Baz about him, I would never betray Jamie like that.”

Hog remained silent, his eyes hidden behind the glassy lenses of his mask. He studied the woman before him, she once would of been tough as nails, but looking at her now he knew she was nothing but a husk of what she had once been. Whatever Baz had done to her had successfully poked her into line. Roadhog could see the fresh bruises on her arms, finger print shaped marks from someone squeezing a little too tightly. Her face was scarred, her body gaunt and defeated, her eyes filled with fear, but none of that was directed at him.

“I led Baz on a wild goose chase, had him lookin’ all over the Omnium for Jamie…” Skip coughed, blood pooling at her lips. “I’m glad he has someone else. You’re a good man.”

“No I’m not.” Hog watched as Skip choked out a laugh, a pathetic sound as she wiped away the blood from her lips, smearing it across her face in the process. 

“I wanted out. Out of the commune, out of being a baby sitter… it’s a full time gig. I didn’t think it through.” Skip tried to sit up, her hand moving to point at the scrap gun by his side, her eyes no longer focusing on the large man before her. “Please. I’m sorry. I’m so fuckin’ sorry. Please tell him I’m sorry.”

Roadhog wasn’t one to keep promises. There was nothing in this exchange for him, he knew telling Junkrat this dying woman’s wish would only set his boss off in a fit of rage. It was for the best if this was never spoken of again. He looked down at the woman, pathetic and weak and covered in her own blood. The nicest thing he could do would be to make her death quick, not let her suffer like he had left many others. There were tears in Skip’s eyes as he grasped his gun, a smile on her face as he pulled the trigger, turning away from the bloody mess that she become. 

“Oi! Mate, what ya doin’?” Junkrat entered the room, hair smouldering and his body covered in ash. Roadhog took that as a good sign that Baz was dead, that Rat had gotten his revenge. His uneven gait stopped as he took in the remains that had once been his friend, his angular face pulled into a vicious snarl. “Serves the treacherous little cunt right. Good work Roadie.”

Hog grunted. His eyes pulled away from Skip, a part of him feeling guilt that Junkrat would never know, that he would always remember the woman and her betrayal and not everything she had done for him. The decision to tell him was in Roadhog’s hands, he wasn’t sure what to do with this information though. On one hand it would give the kid closure, let him realise that Skip had always been his friend, but that came with him being labelled as a murderer for her untimely death. The other was to simply let it fester, let the hatred and betrayal fuel Junkrat and let the guilt slowly eat away at Roadhog. Her last months on the red dirt had been spent putting the Enforcers through hell looking for one measly Junker, Hog had to commemorate that. Still, she was nothing more than a memory now, one neither of them would look back on with fondness. He could feel the guilt bubbling to the surface, along with the thought of the man he had once been, Mako. Roadhog had to smother the feeling down, bury it within his core and forget this had ever happened, she had just been another threat, there was nothing to feel guilty over.

“Oi, Hoggie come on. I hate waiting!”

“…”

“Yeah, lets get the fuck outta this town.”

“Jamie.” Hog watched as his boss stopped, a tremor running through his body, his amber eyes wide in surprise at the sound of his name. Rat seemed confused for a moment, as if trying to figure out how he knew, how Roadhog had gained that knowledge. Amber eyes darted between the Ex-Enforcer and the what was left of Skip, Roadhog could practically see the proverbial light bulb flicker to life. A large hand ruffled the ashen hair, smothering the burning embers under his giant palm. Junkrat swatted him away with a frustrated growl, stunned for a few moments before he picked up his pace to keep stride with Roadhog.

“That’s not fair. Now ya know my name and the where ‘bouts of me treasure. How about you tell me yours?”

“No.”

“How ‘bout a glimpse of ya face then?”

“No.”

“Oh come on Hog!”

——

The limp back to Lambie’s mechanical shop was humiliating at best, plenty of Junkers were curious about their appearance but they all seemed to stay out of their way. The moment they had stepped across the threshold Cass had gasped, running forward to embrace them both with a triumphant laugh, her father had immediately pulled her back with a disgusted grunt. They had been forced to _’wash up’_ , which had just been Lambie throwing a bucket of stale water over them and letting them both wipe clean with oil stained towels. Once the dirt and grime had been cleared away, Roadhog saw just how bad Junkrat’s wounds were, the next hour was spent bandaging the little fucker up as he bitched and complained the entire fucking time about how much it had hurt. Cass had helped to calm Jamie what with her constantly feeding them both shots of some moonshine Lambie had brewed well into the early hours of the morning. 

“Hog, can I paint ya nails?” Cass looked excited, she had just finished touching up Junkrat’s and the kid seemed to be admiring the job that had only been ruined the day before. It was good to have him focusing on something that wasn’t the tragedy he had just lived through, he needed to learn that giving out one’s trust shouldn’t be something so trivial. Roadhog wasn’t stupid, he could see that the Junker calmed when he was, he seemed to be feeding off of Roadhog’s own body language, trusting those that his bodyguard did and being vicious towards the others. Hog didn’t want to become this kid’s idol, he didn’t want any sort of feeling between them except for what could be explained away as professional. He didn’t care about other people, that had been Mako and look where that had landed him. 

“Come on Hoggie, she’s really good. I mean look at this!” Junkrat thrust his hands towards the leather snout of his mask and Roadhog could see where it had been chipped slightly already. How?

“Please? It’ll make ya look so metal!” Cass found a massive hand plonked down onto the desk in front of her and she practically squealed with delight. Roadhog was a massive man, his hands easily twice the size of her own, he seemed to be ignoring her as she put on the first coat, Lambie was entertaining him with tales of Junkertown. The limp back to the mechanics and the patch up afterwards seemed to of been swept under the rug. No one wanted to talk about it, it was better to just leave it well enough alone.

The Enforcers ranks had taken a rather large hit, who ever had survived the explosive aftermath would be taking their time to try and refill their status. Junkertown would be free from their control for a little while, that didn’t mean that Roadhog and Junkrat could take their time though. The bike was fixed and after this short visit then they would head back on the dirt road and continue going east. The further away from Junkertown they were the better. The plan was still to head to Sydney, Hog had no idea why, his boss probably thought he could unload his treasure there for a hefty price. He knew the suits probably wouldn’t be interested, they didn’t interact with people like them, the Junkers from the Outback were a stain on Australia’s society.

“Other hand.” Cass chirped happily, Roadhog switching over calmly, his now freshly painted nails seemingly foreign on his large hands. The teacup was dwarfed between his fingertips as he took another sip, watching as Rat sat beside him, fingers already picking at his black nails.

“You’ll ruin it.” He grumbled. Forcing the Junker’s hands flat onto the table. The kid wasn’t looking so crash hot, his wounds had been cleaned but there was nothing any of them could do about the large swelling on his cheek and jaw. His nose was still sitting at a weird angle and the bruising around that was dark purple, dried blood still caked around his nostrils. They weren’t his only wounds, there were distinct hand prints on his upper arms, welts and bruises along his thin chest and a fairly decent cut that they had been stitched crudely along his left shoulder. Roadhog wasn’t worried about the kid, no way, but a part of him told him to treasure this moment as there may not be another one like it in such a long time. Hog knew this was the last time he would probably every see Lambie or Cass, it was time for them to move on though, there was nothing left of worth in Junkertown no more. The kid cackled at something Cass had said, Lambie had a smile lighten up his grizzled old face. Roadhog would let them enjoy it for now, who knew what dangers lurked out there, who else was waiting to take a shot at the twitchy little Junker.

“Roadie, look we match!” Black fingernails were shoved up against the snout of his mask causing a grumbled sigh to escape him. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the kudos and the many kind reviews. I hope every singe one of you had a happy holidays and that the new year treats you well. Much love Demi <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the long break between Chapters, this story is not over yet so don't stress about that. I've just been really busy looking after my mum but now that I'm in the swing of things it'll go much easier.
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and the comments. It means the world to me and inspires me to keep writing everyday.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, not very exciting after the last one and it has some elements I'll revisit later of course.

Junkrat was silent. Roadhog knew that the death of Skip had been gnawing at the young Junker’s insides, what he hadn’t foreseen was how it was affecting him. Junkrat talked a lot, about nothing in particular but usually it was inane chatter about explosions and plans and revenge. Now though the kid was silent, he hadn’t said a word in the last few days since they had left Junkertown, it was as if his mind was forced to focus on its own thoughts now that he wasn’t distracted by company. It probably didn’t help that Roadhog was a silent man, he wasn’t exactly providing any conversation so for most of the time during their travels it was filled with tense uncomfortable silence. Normally Hog would have been happy with this outcome, but just something didn’t seem right.

For the last few nights Hog had to make sure the little rodent ate, that he wouldn’t chew his fingers raw and that he didn’t stay up all night working on fuck knows what. The sound of him tinkering throughout the night was unsettling, Roadhog was just waiting for that moment when it all went south and he was awoken by an explosion and Junkrat crying in pain. It never happened though, he would fall asleep to the soft sound of metal clinking against metal and the soft murmuring of Junkrat’s unintelligible ramblings. The morning was waking up slowly, forcing the kid back onto the bike and heading off towards the east to travel as far as they could before the temperatures got too unbearable. 

When they were on the bike, Roadhog could put the current situation to the back of his mind. He would be focused on the road before them, red dust kicking up as they passed. He didn’t have to worry about the quiet Junker behind him, as long as he knew the kid was still on the bike and they had plenty of petrol to get them to the next outpost. Travelling in the outback was dangerous, even before the Omnium was destroyed, the heat could be unbearable and one had to learn to ration every little supply if they wanted to make it. Roadhog had spent the majority of his life here, he knew the dangers, he had adapted to this life after the core had blown, he had to, it was all his fault after all.

They had travelled a fair way from Junkertown and still Rat was no better than he had been the last week. He would at least mutter things to Roadhog from time to time but mostly he would chew on his nails and swear under his breath. So the death of Skip was taking its toll on Junkrat more than the kid was willing to admit. He was vacant more than anything and if the subject was ever brought up he would simply giggle his mad little laugh and shrug it off, most of the time telling Hog to go get fucked. He didn’t have the patience for this shit, nor was he handling the moping that Junkrat was capable of. It’s not like he was in his face, he was just wrong. Everything Junkrat did was just wrong, the way he spoke, the way he tinkered, even the way he laughed, it was like a piece was missing.

When the sun was at its highest, the temperature soaring above what most animals and humans found comfortable, Roadhog made the decision to stop, to take shelter in the nearby rocky outcrops. He had to physically pull Junkrat from the oversized bike and into the shade, his young charge bitching in those high pitched whines of his. Snarling beneath his breath, Hog shoved him to the ground and thrusted the canteen of water into his face. The look beneath the mask seemed to tell Junkrat to drink up, the kid had become quite an expert in deciphering the smallest twitches in the leather and the almost silent grunts that escaped Hog’s lips. It made most conversations one sided and some times Junkrat would just say something to fuel his own decisions ignoring Roadhog’s protests completely. It always worked out in the end, Hog saw to that, he made sure his young charge didn’t get into too much trouble. Problems here and there were inevitable, it was the Outback after all, but Hog realised there was way more trouble coming his way than what he was use to. Junkrat was like a homing beacon to bounty hunters and enforcers alike, honestly it was the most fun Hog had had in years.

Right now though, he wanted to wrap his meaty fingers around the kids stupid little neck and squeeze so tightly until he got a reaction, anything would be satisfying. A scream, a gag, a fucking glare, something to let him know that deep down the Rat was still alive in there. He was just a former shell of the bubbling and psychotic person he normally was and it was starting to worry Roadhog a little. A part of him, the Mako part, wanted to talk about it, but Rutledge was dead and had been for a very long time, Rat would eventually either open up and talk about it or bury the entire thing deep inside to fester and rot. He watched the kid now, fumbling with the canteen and wiping the precious water from his lips, most of it dribbling to the ground. Roadhog cringed slightly, watching as the hungry red dirt soaked in the water within moments, he didn’t want to scold the kid, Junkrat was like one of his bombs, ticked off and ready to explode. 

“Wanna talk about it?” Roadhog’s voice was muffled, lungs clogged with sand and hoarse from disuse. Junkrat looked up at him with wide scared eyes, the cogs were turning in his mind, his mouth hanging open comically, the gaps reminding Hog of the teeth missing and now the red raw gums the Junker had.

“Talk ‘bout what?” Junkrat snapped, waiting for his bodyguard to continue, when he was met with silence he let out a frustrated growl. “No I don’t wanna fuckin’ talk ‘bout it! What even gave you the inklin’ that I wanted ta talk ‘bout that shit? It’s fucked up, that bitch betrayed me!” Junkrat tossed his launcher to the ground, the ammo inside bouncing erratically and setting Roadhog on edge. “I’ve known Skip for a long time, I thought we were friends and she fuckin’ sold me out, to that cunt!”

“Who was he?”

“Baz? Fuckin’ drongo, that's who! Part of the group Skip use ta hang ‘round with when she first picked me up. He always hated me, thought I was useless, guess I showed him huh?” Junkrat’s anger and frustration bubbled forth as a maniacal giggle, lips pulled back extremely wide, giving his shallow face a more hollow and unnatural look.

“Sure did boss.” Roadhog huffed, humouring the deranged little bastard as he settled down into the shaded dirt, a soft cloud rising with his heavy bulk. He grasped the canteen from Junkrat, lifting his mask slightly to take a deep gulp. Flame like eyes were watching him intently from his peripheral. “Where were ya before her?”

“Alone. Had me parents for awhile, they went out and never came back, typical… everyone seems ta fuckin’ die in this place.” Junkrat shrugged, his fingers now tracing lazily in the dirt, “Ya ever been out of here Hoggie?”

“Yeah, grew up in New Zealand, moved here to be a Solar Farmer.”

“Boring!” Junkrat yelped as Roadhog’s palm practically smothered his face and pushed him towards the dirt, the course red grit sticking to his sweating face. “Mercy, mercy!”

“You’re a cunt.” Junkrat’s laughter echoed through the heat of the day, the sound immediately grating on Hog’s nerves, he wondered briefly whether it was a good thing that Rat was talking again. No where near as animated as he once was but it was a start in the right direction, the more Junkrat got off his chest, the better off he would be. 

“I may be a cunt but at least I ain’t no sheep fucker.” 

Roadhog snarled, the sound guttural and vicious, muffled from the mask and escaping as a hiss through the ports. He leaned forward to clip the kid over the ears, his shoulder jerked, pain bloomed from his muscles as his massive body froze in shock. Junkrat was cowering beside him, shrinking up and making himself seem as small as possible, a soft whimper escaping from him like a scared child.

“Sniper!” 

“Get down.” Roadhog snarled, turning his head slightly over his shoulder to scan the horizon that the bullet had travelled from. He could see nothing but red dirt and rocky hills, he had fucked up, there was too much cover on the cliff sides and they shouldn’t of rested here. Junkrat was scrambling away from him, not in fear of the Hog but just trying to get away from the situation at hand. 

Grunting, Roadhog reached forward, his shoulder aching with every movement from the still embedded bullet. His fingers clasped around the kid’s arm, briefly noting the size difference before he tugged Junkrat towards him. He bumped against his bare chest with a yelp, hands over his head and shivering like an idiot, Roadhog grumbled his distaste and once again wondering whether he should of ever agreed to their little contract. He still hadn’t seen any payment on his end, was it too cruel to leave the kid here to defend against the bounty hunter by himself? Probably. 

“Stay close.” Another shot rang out, Roadhog felt that one embed into the armour on his back, no harm done, he’d simply have to dig it out later. They were both at a severe disadvantage, neither of them had long range weapons and although Junkrat was a much smaller target, his hobbling gait didn’t exactly make him evasive. The girth Roadhog possessed made him easy pickings, yet Hell would have to freeze over before a simple bullet would stop him. “Come on Rat. Move!”

Junkrat was frozen beneath the hulking shadow of his bodyguard, blood trailed down Roadhog’s arm and dripped onto Rat’s ripped and tattered shorts. Another shot embedded into the rock beside them causing him to let out a yelp. He grasped the launcher honestly knowing that it wasn’t going to be much help but just holding the homemade weapon made him feel that much better. Junkrat let out a bated breath, hissing through his teeth as he slowly stood in Roadhog’s shadow. His body guard was breathing harder than normal, fumbling with that weird gas concoction as Junkrat tried to mentally prepare himself.

“You right Hoggie?” His voice was meeker than he would like to admit, the small affirmation from Roadhog was enough to spur Junkrat to move. He grasped onto the leather armoured harness of his guard, leading them both back towards the bike, Junkrat was keeping low, but their gate was too slow, the hidden bounty hunter taking another shot at them. Either they were a terrible shot-unlikely-or they were simply toying with the two Junkers. That seemed way more likely and it made Junkrat fearful that the next shot could very well be his last. It was no surprise that whoever they were, were after him, Roadhog was just getting caught in the crossfire. It was his job to protect him, but that didn’t mean that Junkrat didn’t feel slightly guilty about the situation at hand. 

“Get on the fuckin’ bike.” Roadhog growled, his large fist clenching Junkrat’s harness and lifting the kid onto the seat, the entire bike groaning underneath Hog’s weight as he climbed on, his massive body sheltering him from the unseen bounty hunter concealed amongst the red cliffs. The bike roared to life, Roadhog would like nothing more than to traverse that cliffside and dig his hook deep into the person’s side and empty a load of scrap into their face. They didn’t have that luxury though, it was easier to run and just try and stay one step ahead of them, the only advantage they probably had was that not everyone had access to transport. Roadhog assumed this bounty hunter had covered some of the ground on foot as he hadn’t heard the familiar thrum of an engine. 

As the bike kicked over, spreading red dirt into the heated air accidentally providing them cover, another shot rang out, Junkrat heard the heavy ding as it collided with something metal but by then his hands had dug into the back of Roadhog’s vest as the bike lurched forward, the sand a blur beneath them, the dangerous cliffside becoming nothing but a distant memory behind them. Roadhog kept driving though, he was pushing the bike pretty hard, the engine groaning against the output, Junkrat briefly wondered how much petrol they had left and how far it would get them before they would have to detour to some unknown servo. 

Junkrat didn’t know how long they were on the bike for, he had gotten bored after five minutes of the heated air whipping him in the face. Eventually the bike began to slow, some abandoned cattle station ahead and that appeared to be their destination. The sand felt like glue beneath the bike, it’s wheels and weight cutting through it as if it was moving through molasses. Junkrat looked behind him expecting to see the cliffs and the bounty hunter in hot pursuit, he saw nothing, nothing but flat land and a burning sun lowering in the sky.

When the bike came to a stop Junkrat gladly leapt off, his knee buckling beneath him as he ate a face full of red dirt. There was no pain or sensation, just the harsh realisation that his artificial peg leg was no longer functioning. Rolling over with a frustrated whine, coughing out the dust he inspected it and saw that the knee joint was damaged, not completely destroyed it was just going to take some tweaking to get it half working again.

“Hey Hog, help me up will ya?” Roadhog didn’t even complain, he simply outstretched his hand which Junkrat greedily took as he was swiftly pulled back up onto his one leg, he was leaning heavily over Roadhog’s massive hairy arm for support and his body guard grunted. The noise seemed like he was in pain, Rat pulled back, lost his balance and almost toppled over onto his arse if it wasn’t for Hog grasping his harness and lurching him forward again. “Thanks mate.”

Neither of them spoke as they entered the collapsing cattle station, the shade it provided was welcoming, the shelter from the sun was a blessing and a downfall. Shelters like this were well sought after in the blazing outback yet they severely hindered ones ability to keep an eye on their surroundings. Junkrat had survived so long hiding in hovels like these because he had learnt quickly after his parents had left that laying traps and deterring others from entering was the only way to go. He had seen plenty of men and women who had lost their lives due to a scrap bomb or even to him after they had been caught in his bear trap. Sure Junkrat had looked like a weak little kid, but he had a fighting spirit and a nerve to try anything he had read about, had some blown up in his face, but that was just how he had learnt. 

Skip. The thought of her and everything she had done for him came flickering across his mind, it was like someone had clenched onto his heart and squeezed until he could no longer breathe. Rat didn’t know what he was feeling, whether it was anger, guilt or something else entirely but his breaths began to come in short gasps. He could feel tears burning at his eyes, threatening to fall and destroy the fragile visage he had created for himself. Hog dropped him. He grunted and the old creaking floor meeting his arse rudely snapped him out of his pity party. He was about to snap it at Roadhog, couldn’t the guy see he was crippled right now. Except Hog stumbled, a pained gasp escaping him as he hit the wall and slid down it with laboured breaths beside Junkrat.

“Roadie, ya right?” Junkrat scrambled towards him, getting a large palm shoved into his face for the trouble. “Look I know ya hurt alright? I saw the bullet, stop bullshittin’ me mate and let me fuckin’ help ya!”

Roadhog grumbled, turning his back on the skinny kid and trying his best to ignore him as Junkrat scrambled towards the two of them, using Roadie as a tree to hoist himself up to the same level. Thin fingers were probing around his shoulder, gently touching bruised flesh with dirty tips. There was not much they could do hygiene wise to clean the wound except waste the small amount of water they already had. They would have to get the bullet out-correction- Junkrat would have to get the bullet out and honestly that put Roadhog on edge slightly. He knew the kid was good with his hands when he was building bombs, weapons and traps but he had seen those tremors run through Rat’s body more times than he could count, excuse him if he wasn’t exactly confident in his abilities.

“Ever taken out a bullet before?”

“Yeah, once.”

Roadhog grunted.

“Guy shot me in the thigh, was 'bout twelve I think… can’t remember, all the days bleed into one here.”

“Ya probably deserved it.”

“Of course I did. Made a right mess of myself too, I learnt from me mistakes though.”

Roadhog sighed, there was nothing else he could do though. He couldn't leave the bullet there and he couldn’t remove it himself, it wasn’t exactly in easy reach. Grumbling beneath his breath, Roadhog removed the large armoured tire from his shoulder and the thick rubber vest he wore as protection. Both items hit the floor with a dull heavy thud and Hog watched as the kid seemed to look onto him in awe.

“Quit ya staring.”

“Can’t help it mate, never seen a fucker as big as ya before.”

“Take this and get to work.”

Roadhog held out a knife, one that was dwarfed in his hands and a fucking machete in Junkrat’s. He looked down at it clenched between his fingers in awe, it was old, the blade slightly worn but it had been sharpened recently and it still posed quite a threat. Junkrat wondered if he was going to cause more damage than good to Roadhog’s shoulder but eventually the excitement of being able to give this a go for the second time in his life won out and he grinned a vicious gleeful smile.

“Don’t fuckin’ enjoy this.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it mate, it’s just somethin’ new ta learn.” Junkrat gingerly grasped onto Roadhog’s bicep to steady himself as he inspected the wound up close. It actually looked a lot more daunting when he had a sharp knife tip ready to dig into the hole. “Right, here we go mate…”

Water poured over the knife and the wound and Junkrat waited no time before he dug the cold metal into Roadhog’s flesh. The blade’s tip clinking against the remains of the bullet, its sharp edge cutting small capillaries and allowing blood to begin to pool in the wound. To Roadhog’s credit he was silent, the only movement he made was to sneak in a canister of what ever the fuck he huffed and chased it with a decent gulp of water. Junkrat actually worked quietly, feeling the tip on the bullet through the vibrations of the knife, enough for him to try and locate it buried deep within the muscle layer. He didn’t want to move it around too much, the more damage he did the longer it was going to take Roadie to heal… although he never really seemed to phased by what hit him.

“That bounty hunter meant business huh?” Junkrat didn’t receive an answer, “I mean they must of been some big shot, this is an actual bullet in ya arm, not some fuckin’ bucket of bolts that’s held together with glue and fuckin’ positive thinkin’. This ain’t no scrap gun, this was a sniper a proper rifle, though I must admit, not the best one out there, barely hit us huh? Well I mean they gotcha, but ya such a big fucker that I’m surprised ya weren’t riddled with bullets. Thanks for that by the way, ya kinda saved me, even though that’s ya job, still… it’s nice of ya, considerin' I haven’t paid ya yet.”

“Please-“

“Am I hurtin’ ya Hoggie?”

“No. Just… shut-up.” Roadhog cringed with slight pain as Jukrat burst into a fit of giggles, a hard slap on Hog’s shoulder caused the larger man to freeze. He snapped, turning around and clenching tightly to Junkrat’s thin little throat, it would be so easy to end his miserable life right here and now. “What is your problem?”

“Ha! Nothin’ mate. I’m done.” Between Junkrat’s thumb and forefinger was the bullet. Roadhog looked from the small offending object and the bullet he was holding to the wound, a small gauze patch had been secured in place by gaffa tape no less. “Hey Hog, can we stay here for a bit yeah?”

“Whatever.” Roadhog dropped him.

“Alright, just overnight then we’ll keep headin’ east towards Sydney.”

“What’s so special about Sydney?”

Junkrat went quiet, leaning against the wall as he removed his peg leg and rotated it in his spindly dirty fingers. He was inspecting the knee joint, immediately he began to take it apart, scrap and parts being laid out before him in a manner that only Junkrat seemed to understand. Roadhog watched him for a few silent minutes, seeing the kid tweak and play with his prosthetic was interesting. Junkrat might of been a crazy, bomb obsessed little fuck but when it came to building he seemed to know what he was doing. 

“Well the rich fucks live there don’t they.”

“What?”

“That’s what’s in Sydney. Those arseholes have never once helped out us little people stuck in the fuckin’ wastelands have they? I think it’s time that we repaid the favour, take ‘em for all that their worth yeah?”

Roadhog grumbled in response. So the kid wasn’t as stupid as he thought he was originally. Honestly he was under the impression that the kid was looking for a better life in the greener pastures that was Sydney, but instead he was planning to make the Suits’ lives even more miserable, that was something Roadhog could get behind and maybe he would finally be able to get some money coming his way for his services.

Junkrat proceeded to tinker with his leg, squeaking the joint and watching the mechanisms closely as they moved. He muttered something about having to upgrade it but Roadhog paid him no mind. There wasn’t much that he knew about the mechanical side of things, Hog knew about his bike, his gun and his hook, that knowledge had been enough to get him this far and theoretically he knew what made up Junkrat’s third rate prosthetic but he didn’t really know how it worked, probably similar to the suspension in his bike. It was made from scrap parts though so what did he care?

“Boss, ya know what ya doing?”

“Yeah kinda. I had ta work it out one way or ‘nother, wouldn’t be able to get ‘round otherwise. I learnt what I could.” Junkrat giggled giving the leg another experimental squeak before he buckled it back into place. The kid was smart, it was just a shame he was insane otherwise he could probably do so much more for his life than create bombs and blow shit sky high.

“Eat somethin’.”

“Sure, righto.” Junkrat grasped the dried meat that was thrown his way, munching on it silently before a yelp escaped him. He clenched his cheek in his hand spitting out a mixture of meat and blood. His tongue ran over his teeth before encountering a hole on each side, blood filling his mouth and leaving a nasty taste. “Fuck. Forgot ‘bout these, guess Baz got in a nice couple of hits hey?”

“You got ya arse handed to ya.”

“Yeah but I’m still standin’ and that pricks been blown up!” Junkrat giggled, high and maniacal before he choked on his own blood and spat it onto the ground erupting into gagging coughs. Roadhog clapped him on the back, the force knocking the Junker forward slightly that he scowled. “Watch it ya fuckin’ heifer.”

“…”

“No, no wait I didn’t mean it!”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some filler this Chapter before something exciting is going to happen next time. 
> 
> Thank you everyone for the nice comments and the kudos.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter

They had robbed the place, cleared out the entire establishment and it felt good. The two of them had taken off with a variety of food; breads, dried meats and even some rare fruits. They had taken canisters of petrol and had even cleared out the cash register. Money wasn’t worth as much in the Outback as it was in the city, but those who did have it had access to a lot more things than those who simply bartered away items or their professions. Food, water, ammunition, all those were more valuable than money ever could be out here, those who had access to that, had access to power.

The servo they had robbed, didn’t even know what had hit them. They had gone in to fill up the bike, they had no ill intentions to begin with until the man behind the register had called Roadhog a fat pig and Junkrat, well… he had over reacted. They had taken what they could before Roadhog had torn the young kid away from the place before he had blown the thing sky high. Hog was flattered but not enough to not tear Junkrat a new one for almost blowing up a place that had petrol in it sky high. They would of been nothing more than ashen corpses on the side of the road if he had let the kid push that trigger. Junkrat was bitching though, screeching like a fucking child because he didn’t get to experience the rush. Hog clipped him over the ears before depositing him on the bike with a huff. He didn’t have time for this bullshit right now, they needed to get as far away as possible before others heard rumour of what happened. 

The wind successfully drowned out Junkrat’s whining, the heavy canvas satchels knocking against Roadhog’s back with every bump in the uneven tarmac, they would have to go off road soon and take shelter somewhere whilst things blew over. The Enforcer’s had taken quite a hit a few months ago in Junkertown, but who’s to say that they haven’t been able to replenish their ranks, even a little bit. At the thought of the would-be guards, Roadhog’s chest tightened and his hands faltered on the handles of the bike. It must of been that woman, guilt itching into his skin as a frown pulled onto his face. Hog rarely felt guilt, that had been Mako’s territory and that man was long and buried, there was no need for justice and honour in this day and age, it was all about survival. As the bike slowed, he could hear Rat still prattling on behind him, with a dejected sigh the bike heaved under his weight as he pulled the kid off and onto his feet.

“Go on.”

“What?”

“Blow it up.” Roadhog grumbled, watching Junkrat’s eyes light up as he scrambled towards the ledge, looking down he could see the servo, the carnage left behind, the soft sound of a crackled smoke alarm wailing and barely heard amongst the wind. 

“Really? I thought ya said it was gonna be too dangerous?” Junkrat looked at Hog confused before his face lit up in understanding. “Oh I get it, we were too close before yeah?”

Their conversations normally went like this, Junkrat would either understand Roadhog ninety percent of the time with very little words said on the body guard’s behalf, there were times though when these one sided conversations had disastrous results. Jamie was a smart kid, unfortunately for him he had a short attention span and unless it interested him then it was probably forgotten in an hour or so. Junkrat though knew bombs, he knew the right mixtures and concoctions to make the right type of explosions, his knowledge lacked on what those bombs could decimate. Hog guessed there was only so much learning on the job could teach, the Outback didn’t exactly present itself as the most user friendly environment. 

How the kid started getting into the craft was a mystery but with trial and error he was proceeding to learn as much as he could with the supplies he had available. If Roadhog had been asked to rewire an explosive he would of simply shrugged and taken off in the other direction. Honestly though it was something he never really thought about, bombs were not exactly the go to weapon for those in the apocalypse, there was too much of a risk of it blowing up in one’s face. Junkrat didn’t seem to mind the possibility, in fact it seemed to excite him even more.

The kid was crouched over, leaning on the rocks, his amber eyes glued to the small petrol station in the gully. It was a spot of white and brown against the red dirt and compressed clay. Roadhog had no idea where Rat had placed the mine, it didn’t matter though, what little petrol and gas was in the lines would ignite the moment those twitchy fingers pressed the red button. Junkrat was giggling madly, flipping the detonator around in his grasp and humming to himself, some old tune that seemed familiar yet Roadhog was unable to put his finger on it. There was a click, dirtied fingers compressing the button. A small delay that ran through the signal before something down in the distance rumbled and burst into flames, nothing else happened for the longest time, Junkrat becoming disappointed until there was another rumble. The chain explosion happened, bright orange and flaming, sending a shock wave towards them that had Junkrat whooping for joy.

“Did ya fuckin’ see that Roadie!”

“Obviously.”

“Fuckin’ beautiful!” Junkrat giggled, rolling on his side before he fell still as if exhausted. Roadhog raised a brow at him under the mask but simply huffed and turned his back on his psychotic partner. Well, maybe not psychotic but definitely a little unhinged. “Oh come on mate, I had ta! Guy called ya a fat pig.”

“…”

“Fine I’ll act pissed for ya. Seriously wouldn’t kill ya ta emote sometimes.”

“Shut up.”

“Good one.” Junkrat sat down in the dirt with a huff, dragging the canvas bags towards him and greedily opening them to search the spoils inside. He began splitting it down the middle, a loaf of bread on his left then one on his right, same with the petrol and money, rinse and repeat. Once done Junkrat mulled the two piles over slightly, he parted ways with two more of the petrol canisters and some food making Roadhog’s pile much more appealing and larger than his own. “Done. Here ya go ya fat cunt.”

“Fifty-fifty.”

“Yeah I know but I don’t have use for three petrol canisters, ya need it for ya bike, gets me around too. Not ta mention ya need the extra food cause well… ya know.” 

“You saying I’m fat?”

“Umm… yeah.” One of the Hogdrogen canisters were thrown his way smacking his temple with a hollow thud and an empty clang as it rolled on the ground. Junkrat giggled rubbing his head with a goofy yet unsettling smile stretched across his features. Roadhog didn’t like that smile, to be on the receiving end usually meant that Junkrat was planning something incredibly stupid and dangerous. 

It didn’t always escalate into something and Roadhog believed now was one of those times, Junkrat was just playfully ripping at him, something that friends did, and something that Roadhog did not want to encourage. The two of them had been through a lot in the last few months but that wasn’t the type of relationship they had. This was simply employer and employee, Roadhog didn’t want a friend, nor did he need one. He didn’t want Junkrat to look up to him, he was no role model, he hadn’t been one for a very long time. Rat seemed to have other ideas though, he was a blood thirsty, insane, bomb obsessed arsehole; but-there was loyalty in him and that was his downfall. Junkrat gave away his trust too easily, first Skip and now him, he hadn’t learnt his lesson at all.

Roadhog gathered his new spoils, looking through them and stuffing what he could save into one of the canvas totes, beside keeping out one petrol can and some food, the rest of the spoils would be saved for another day. He watched Junkrat nibble on some stale bread, his face contorted into what Hog could only identify as deep thought, he hoped. There was the smell of smoke and petrol drifting towards them now, a reminder that eventually they would have to vacate the area further if they didn’t want to get caught for their crimes. Not that Hog would really call these crimes, these were petty theft compared to some things he had done in his life. 

Not wishing to push this relaxing moment into a comfortable one, Roadhog stood, back aching and muscles complaining as he hefted the ten litre can towards the bike with ease. He’d give it a top up and hopefully they wouldn’t have another unscheduled stop for quite awhile. This trip to the east for his boss was taking them much longer than it should have, but Roadhog had no idea whether his contract would end there or not, they hadn’t exactly been clear on the details, Roadhog needed to take some time to sit down with Junkrat and iron out the kinks in their little verbal contract.

“Jamie.”

“Uh… yeah mate?” Junkrat looked up, face full of bread making his words muffled. Before him, lay scrap metal and the petrol canister, it seemed he was making a new concoction for his bombs with what little supplies they had. Junkrat had been running severely low on bombs, grenades and of course his trip mine. They had been in confrontations more often than they were avoiding them and it was taking it’s toll on the anarchist. Roadhog didn’t have that issue, he carried what most Junkers did, his trusty scrap gun would never run out as long as there was junk to plunder and shove into the casing. 

“We can’t stay here.”

“Yeah yeah I know, just give me some time ta restock and then we’ll be on our way to Sydney. How much longer ya think it’s gonna take us?”

“Awhile.”

“Ya don’t know do ya?”

“…”

“It’s alright, I don’t know either. Guess we’ve just been wingin’ it so far ey?” Junkrat took a moment to viciously rip another bite of the stale bread. “Can I play around with your gun?”

Roadhog laughed, a thick rumble that reverberated through his stomach and escaped as a hissing wheeze through the thick leather of his mask. He realised then that Junkrat looked peeved, he had done something to obviously piss the kid off but Hog couldn’t care less as he tossed the scrap gun towards Junkrat, listening to it hit the ground with a dull thud. It looked ridiculous in his hands, a gigantic weapon that the kid could barely lift and examine. The barrel alone was the heaviest part of the gun, it’s width having to accommodate the ammo it took, misshapen nuts, bolts and metal. The trigger would take Junkrat at least two fingers to pull, the gun too heavy for him to lift so he was simply rotating it on the ground.

“Can I upgrade it? I know you’ve got it to burst fire and the alternate concentrated blast, but I feel like ya could do a little more.”

“Knock yourself out.” 

Junkrat giggled with delight, stowing away his bombs and the petrol to delve his hands into the scuffed metal of the large gun. It was so different to his own, a danger in of itself. Where Junkrat’s weapon was a destructive force that was untamed, Roadhog’s was more focused, deadly to its own degree and Junkrat was looking to make it that little bit more chaotic. That was how he worked, he took things as they exploded in his face with a frantic laugh and a manic grin. Yes, his body guard kept him grounded but sometimes it was better to go a little wild. Junkrat’s hands shook, a tremor running through his body as deft fingers clicked the gun open as if studying how Hog reloaded the behemoth of a gun. 

Roadhog was happy that the kid was busy, it gave him time to tinker with the bike, refill the fuel in peace without having to listen to him chatter and mumble to himself. Junkrat always spoke, mostly to himself when he tinkered but it was just odd words here and there which weren’t enough to grasp his attention. From his new vantage point he could see the smoke billowing from the blown up servo from below, the wind taking it in the opposite direction to where they were now. There were still no figures in the valley, the destruction had gone ignored for now but it would’t last long, the owners probably scrabbling for help right at this very moment. 

“Jamie.”

“Hmm?”

“How long ya gonna keep this up?”

“What ya mean?”

“…”

“Oh, I get it. Ya wanna know when the contracts up? Look as long as I need ya to protect me skinny arse you’ve got the job. I’ll get ya some more spoils eventually, when we get ta Sydney, there’s probably some stupid smucks there.” 

“So ya need me until ya don’t.”

“Yeah. Got a problem with that?” Roadhog didn't say anything and Junkrat huffed using his fingers to measure the top of Hog’s gun curiously. “Seriously mate, ya got any other plans?”

“No.”

“Didn’t think so.” Junkrat grumbled, another tremor running through his body with his suppressed rage. He didn’t normally get angry at his body guard, Roadhog was one scary mother fucker. But there were times like these, that he just wanted to sit and stew for a few moments. Junkrat was unsure how long he would survive in the middle of the heated Outback without the help he had gotten so far. Now his mind was wandering again back to Skip and Junkrat let out a frustrated growl, pounding his fist against the red dirt in his frustration. There were tears stinging at his eyes and a hiccup in his throat that he smothered with a tired giggle. 

Junkrat tried to focus on taking Roadhog’s gun apart, each nut, bolt and panel being meticulously put aside in order so he could understand its construction better. That only occupied his mind for fifteen minutes before those thoughts began creeping up on him again. His tears had made clean streaks down his dirtied cheeks and Roadhog had returned to sitting opposite him in silence, he was thankful that he didn’t say anything. Junkrat took a deep shuddering breath before trembling fingers began their work of once more putting the large gun back together, slower this time, he needed to keep his ever ticking mind occupied. 

“Ya right?” Roadhog could see the kid was struggling with what ever inner demons he thought he had, Hog knew all about that sort of thing, his actions alone in the past ten years were enough to keep him up at night, but now he also had the guilt of Junkrat’s little friend on his mind and the kid was just a constant reminder. The sooner Rat got over it the easier it would be for Roadhog to bury. “Jamie!”

“Huh?”

“Ya right?”

“Yeah, just cleaned ya gun is all mate. Actually thinkin’ I probably can do this, an alternate fire that could do a more wide spread arc of shrapnel, just gotta figure out how the fuck I can put a top-loader on this fuckin’ giant thing without unbalancin’ it for ya. Also ya will need ta stuff it full of scrap for it ta work but I think I can figure somethin’ out.”

“I’m not talkin’ bout the gun. I’m talkin’ bout you.”

“Ya what mate?” Junkrat stilled, amber eyes vicious and wide, he looked like he was about to sit up and bolt as fast as his hobbled gait would allow him. Roadhog wouldn’t of let him get far, but the kid didn’t actually seem to be moving.

“Don’t hold it in kid, ya just gonna harm yourself more that way.”

“What the fuck you on about?”

“Skip.”

“Don’t say her fuckin' name!” Junkrat snarled, taking the closet thing to him, a small rock and tossing it at Roadhog. His rage blinded him slightly though as the red compressed clay exploded three feet to Hog’s right causing an amused huff to escape through the mask’s ports. Junkrat was fuming, his thin face scrunched into a snarl, his breaths hissing through his teeth and his body trembling with his anger.

“Why not?”

“Cause she fuckin’ betrayed me! She strung me up like a fuckin’ dog and lead me straight to the slaughter. She was my friend, she was like my family and she left me to die so she could crawl back ta him? I thought she fuckin’ hated that cunt, Baz was nothin’ but horrible to us… I guess I was just too young ta realise what was goin’ on right in front of my face.” Junkrat stopped, as if all the energy had suddenly drained from him. His fingers were tracing idly on Roadhog’s gun, fiddling with the scratched metal, his voice now much more mellow. “I trusted her…”

“Sucks don’t it?”

“Thanks for the support.” Junkrat muttered, eyes on the dirt before him, fingers trailing idly into the red soil. He didn’t notice Roadhog sit down beside him, didn’t react when a giant hand thumped him on the back causing a hiccup to escape. Tears were crawling down his face, his breath hitching in his throat. Junkrat's crying was silent, suppressed tears as if he didn't want the older man to know he was sobbing like a chid. They stayed sitting next to one another whilst he tried to compose himself, eyes stinging from him rubbing at them.

“Everyone just looks out for themselves Jamie.”

“Including you?”

Roadhog was silent, his heavy breathing the only thing breaking the air between them. He got up, slowly before ruffling the kid’s hair and moving over towards his bike. He did not care about Jamie, he did not want to protect the insane Junker, he just wanted to complete this contract and get on with his life. Junkrat was annoying, a childish little prick but somehow he had wormed his way into Roadhog’s mind. It caused him to snarl slightly as he looked over the kid, wiping at his eyes and creating clean streaks on his cheeks showing the splattering of freckles beneath the soot. How can someone who can kill another in cold blood look so fucking pathetic?

“I get it mate, I really do. Ya only here cause I’m payin’ ya, but ya know what, I’ll take it.”

“We gotta go.”

“Alright.” Junkrat stood slowly, wiping the palm of his hand against his cheeks again before hefting Roadhog’s gun with difficulty and handing it back to his large body guard. The spoils were loaded back into the duffle bags as the bike was kicked over, the engine echoed across the dried deserted valley. Junkrat begrudgingly climbed on behind Roadhog, shoving the bags out of his face and clinging onto the larger man’s harness. This was going to be an uncomfortable ride at best, at least he didn’t have to look Roadhog in the face, well… mask.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Junkrat is just stupid.
> 
> Everyone makes mistakes but when he does them, they have more of a lasting effect.

The recipe was wrong. The mother-fucking recipe was wrong. It had taken him twenty two years to finally fuck up an explosive enough that he had paid the price. The pain was burning hot, like melted iron against his skin. Fingers, flesh and bone were gone, a mangled stump halfway up his forearm pumping blood into the red dirt where he lay. Roadhog was above him, pressing a dirty oily rag against the wound to try and stop the bleeding. Junkrat hissed and spat at him, trying to thrash away from the larger man. Whenever the cloth hit his skin he'd be reminded of the white hot pain. He screamed and swore, he clawed at Roadhog as if it had been all his fault. Hog was nothing if not patient, growling under his breath as he wrapped one of Jamie's belts around his bicep and pulling it tight. 

Not again, he couldn't deal with this again. His leg had been a shock to his system, had crippled him more than physically and now he was going to have to go through all that again. The pain, the denial, the thought of fingers still being there, his mind playing tricks on him. Jamie blanched at the pressure applied to the stump again, black creeping on the edge of his vision as he swore through his clenched teeth. He wanted to scream and swear at Hog, it was all his fault, he didn't know how or why he just knew that the elder man was to blame. A large meaty hand was pinned to his chest, trying to subdue Jamie's struggling, he felt like the pressure was going to kill him. Junkrat was having trouble breathing, inhaling in a rasped and dry breath and screaming out the exhale. His hand, his only hand was scrabbling with Hog's thick arm, scratching with blunt nails in an attempt to get him to let go. 

“Stop stop stop! It hurts! Please!”

Roadhog didn't say anything in reply. His mask concealing his face, yet his shoulders shook with every breath that passed his lips. Rat was writhing in pain beneath him, tears in his eyes and curses on his lips. Roadhog wasn't going to give him a warning, there was no point as the younger Junker wouldn't be able to prepare himself for what was to come. The rag was moved from the wound, blood still pumping lazily into the dirt, Hog grabbed Junkrat’s elbow, meaty fingers clenching hard enough to cause bruises. 

“Hold still.” He grunted the command before white hot metal was pressed against the bleeding stump. Junkrat screamed out in pain, trying to yank what was left of his arm out of Hog's grip. The Moari man was determined though, to listen to the flesh sizzle and blister, red skin puckering to an almost black mess. The blood had stopped and Junkrat was pale under all that soot and grime, he was hissing his breaths through clenched teeth, the corners of his mouth flecked with spit. Roadhog let his eyes dart from the blackened stump to Jamie's face, he was worried that his boss wasn't going to recover from this. 

“Fuck me.” Rat breathed out in a defeated sigh. His chest was still rising and falling in ragged movements his eyes clenched shut in pain, his voice hoarse from screaming. 

“No one wants to do that.”

“Very funny.” Jamie's eyes blinked open but he remained laying on the hot red dirt. “Fuckin' fat bastard.”

Roadhog rolled his eyes beneath his mask, his large hands moving to bandage up the stump a little roughly as if pay back for the comment. He knew Junkrat would quiet down after awhile, stop his hissing and spitting hate once the pain subsided but until then it was going to be tense and Hog was gonna have to grit his teeth and smother the urge to strangle the ungrateful cunt. With rough calloused hands he gripped the smaller man by his shoulders and hefted him to his feet. There was a small whine of protest from Rat, he was unsteady on his legs, still woozy from the blood loss. Roadhog steadied Rat in his arms, practically cradling the younger man against his gut and supporting his weight entirely with one massive arm. Junkrat hissed in a pained breath, his skin still deathly pale beneath the soot and blood on his body, the smell of burnt flesh still fresh in the air around them. The cauterised stump looked horrible, blistered and burnt beyond recognition and wrapped pathetically in a bandage that was stained from the oozing skin. 

“Looks like it might just be you Roadie, a hundred percent ain’t a bad profit yeah?” Rat giggled, the sound weak and pathetic and fuck all that was good because Roadhog wasn’t going to let his charge think that way. Shaking his head slightly he reached for his mask with his spare hand, the buckles loosened as he lifted the thick heavy leather off of his face and promptly shoved it against Junkrat’s head. He let it sit there, watching Jamie’s confused eyes as he rummaged for the canister in his pack, the bright yellow healing concoction was connected to the mask’s output. Roadhog held the entire thing in place, letting the canister compress into the leather and letting Junkrat breath in every last drop. 

Silence grew between them, nothing to break it but the hissing of the gas before the empty container was dropped to the dirt with a dull thud. Hog’s breaths grew heavy, the meltdown of the Omnic fusion core doing more damage to his lungs than living in the radiation had done to others over years. Once satisfied but starting to feel weak himself, Roadhog grasped the mask, he lifted it gently from Rat’s face before he slid it once more over his own head. The buckles were still a little bit loose but it would do for now, all that mattered was that Junkrat was seemingly a little bit better if not in shock, not to mention his bloodied stump seemed to of stopped its oozing. Sighing, Roadhog slung Rat over his shoulder, he needed his hands free and for once he didn’t hear any complaints. They had to head for shelter, they couldn't stay out here in the blazing sun wide open to attacks. 

“What did you learn?”

“Chlorine makes a terrible substitute.” Junkrat muttered as Hog could feel him fiddling with the pig shaped holster strapped to his back. The larger man snorted in reply, shifting Rat's weight slightly to balance him better as he trudged through the heat, feet sinking into the red dirt and slowing their progress. Junkrat seemed to be mumbling to himself, spouting recipes that worked and incoherent nonsense that the ex-enforcer really couldn't understand. He could feel Junkrat playing with his armour, fiddling with his holster and picking at his patches, each time his fingers would find something new he would mutter about piggies and markets, the Hogdrogen gas obviously taking away the edge of the pain and making the crazed Junker a little bit loopier than normal.

Sometimes Roadhog wondered whether the pay out from Rat's treasure would be worth it. He had spent more of his time protecting the Junker from his own stupid mistakes then from actual threats. Not saying there hadn't been some attempts on Jamie's life, but lately they had been few and far between. He knew deep down that Junkrat wasn't an idiot, in fact he could ramble magnificent plans sometimes, but he was more reckless than anything else. An idea would enter Jamie's head and he would work on it until it succeeded or blew up in his face. Roadhog could remember thinking how immature the other man was until he had learnt Rat's age and he immediately shut down those thoughts, of course he was immature, he was just a kid. Hog could remember the shit he got up to when he was in his twenties, a right little prick with a taste for alcohol and fights. Glassed many a wanker in his day. Now he preferred the more brutal method, a hook and a shotgun full of scrap that would tear at people's insides. Junkrat was quiet, shifting his shoulder, Hog realised the little bugger had fallen asleep, soft snores echoing behind his back. Well at least his rambling stopped. 

Roadhog had stood out the front of the abandoned Omnium warehouse for almost half an hour to watch for any comings and goings. It was quiet and he took that as a sign that things were probably clear but one could never be too cautious. There was a part in the building where plasterboard and metal struts had given way which gave him a good entry point, it was a little hard to squeeze himself and the sleeping Junkrat through the space but he managed with only knocking his head once on a low lying support beam. Grumbling under his breath he surveyed the interior, dark, dank and full of useless shit. Perfect, no one would really come looking in here if it offered no spoils to the Junkers. Picking a wall that faced the opening and left the warehouse mostly in view, Roadhog gently knelt down and laid his boss’s body on the cold hard floor. There was not much he could offer the sleeping Junker in the way of comfort as their supplies were still with his bike, he was going to have to fetch them soon. Junkrat’s arm was at a major risk of infection and he was going to have to clean it, probably best if the kid remained passed out. 

Roadhog did a quick sweep of the warehouse, there was nothing here but destroyed Omnics and scrap, there was evidence that someone had once taken shelter here but they were long gone now. Roadhog removed his mask once more, securing it on Jamie’s head before compressing another can of Hogdrogen into the ports. That would tie him over until Hog could return with what little medical supplies they had and everything else they needed to stay here. It looked like they were going to be in for the long haul whilst Rat recovered… if he ever did. 

Roadhog snarled at the foreign feeling boiling in his gut as he grasped his mask back a little roughly from Rat’s still form. Did he care for the kid? No, that couldn't be it. Shaking his head of the thought, Roadhog was satisfied that no one was going to sneak up on them anytime soon, he would be quick, go out get the bike and come right back. He hesitated in the opening, looking over his hulking shoulder at Jamie, his body was dirtied and bloody, his arm cradled to his chest and the bandages soaked with ooze. Hog didn’t have any time to waste, it was life or death and for once Roadhog was actually worried.

The bike wasn’t too far away, a fifteen minute walk in the heat at most but those fifteen minutes felt like an eternity to Roadhog. He knew that time was of an essence but he couldn’t help but think that this was it for their contract. Rat was dead, there was no way he was going to be able to recover from this, sure he had done it once before with his leg but Hog didn’t have any form of medical knowledge. He relied on his Hogdrogen and that had always been enough for him, his body alone was covered in scars from all the cuts and scrap wounds he had endured over the years. He had never learnt to stitch wounds and honestly his fingers were probably too meaty to even handle such delicate items. 

Roadhog had seen Jamie’s leg, seen the crude white scars that criss-crossed the stump, whoever had been looking after him at the time had known what they were doing. It was probably that Skip girl and even the thought of her made him feel that tickling sensation of guilt and he had to huff away the thought with a grumbled breath. Roadhog wouldn’t be able to stitch this wound, especially not after the mess he had made by cauterising the stump. Honestly, he had panicked and it was the only way he knew how to stop the bleeding, in hindsight he probably should of applied more pressure but there was no point in dwelling on the past, what was done was done. 

The bike was hot to his touch, the metal baking in the sun, their supplies appeared to be untouched and that was all he could hope for at this stage. Sighing, Roadhog released the brakes and began dragging the bike through the soft sand and onto the road, he would return to Rat quicker if he could ride it but he had to be careful not to bog it in the soft red sand. The warehouse had once been protected by a wired fence but that had been torn down and repurposed to a nearby settlement, what use this place had once been was short lived, local inhabitants gutting it immediately for anything of value. Roadhog wondered if Jamie would be in better hands if he took him to the settlement but he quickly denied the thought, there was no telling what bounty hunters were lingering there or whether the Enforcers had reached this far away from Junkertown. 

Pulling the bike round the back, Hog grasped their duffels, bedrolls and a repurposed petrol canister that they had filled with water before ducking once more into the darkened confines of the warehouse. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and his heart skipped a beat when he couldn’t locate his young charge. Blinking a few times he realised the small curled up mess was indeed Junkrat, fetal position and hugging his arm to his chest, body heaving in pained breaths. Walking over slowly as if not to wake him or startle him, Roadhog laid out Rat’s smaller bedroll. A large hand on the kid’s shoulder got no reaction, he was still out and Hog thanked his lucky stars as he laid him out on the soft material before he began to rummage through their supplies. 

The little water they had was going to be wasted, but if he didn’t clean the stump than Junkrat was likely to get an infection and from there he might as well kill the kid so he didn’t suffer. He pulled out the cleanest rags they had, a few more Hogdrogen canisters and what could be called their medical kit. Inside was some scissors, gauze, an out of date antibacterial ointment and some thread for stitching. It wasn’t the best med-kit going around but it was definitely better than what some out there had access too. Sighing Hog slowly began to remove the makeshift bandage and he blanched at what met him underneath. Rat’s arm was red and puckered, skin blistered and blackened by the cauterisation. There was dark bruising hidden beneath the dried blood, ones further up his arm where Hog had gripped him also, the flesh on the stump was oozing a sickly fluid that was not yellow but it wasn’t clear either. Hog had no idea if that was normal or not so he decided there was nothing more he could do right now besides clean it up and bandage the wound the best he could. 

The water was warm as he soaked the rag in it, gently starting at the centre of the wound and working his way out, making sure to not push any more dirt and grime that lined Jamie’s skin further into the delicate flesh. His hands seemed to dwarf the thin arm that was in front of him, it was at this moment that Roadhog realised how fragile the kid actually was and how dependant he was on other people. It made him falter slightly, looking at Jamie’s pale and freckled face scrunched up from the pain and he almost stopped, almost walked away from the situation that had presented itself to him. Roadhog did not care for Junkrat, he did not want to have that sort of attachment, he was a professional… God-fucking-damnit! Who was he kidding, he had gotten attached to the crazed Junker and he probably couldn’t imagine his life now without him.

Mako Rutledge wasn’t buried as deep as Roadhog originally thought, but it was a problem he would tackle later, right now he had to focus on the task at hand. He gave the affected area one last splash with water before he pet the entire thing dry, he wondered about putting on the ointment but thought better of it considering its expiration date. Grasping the gauze he layered it over the worst areas before draping the cleanest scrap of cloth they had over the entire stump, he tore the other one into strips before wrapping it around Junkrat’s arm right up to the kid’s bicep and securing it in place with tape. That was it, it was all he could offer the kid. He simply had to keep the site clean and keep bandaging it until it healed which he had no idea how long that could take.

Sighing, Roadhog sat back, looking at his handiwork and the peaceful look on the Junker’s face. It was probably for the best if he stayed asleep as long as possible, hopefully the Hogrogen had done enough to dull the pain. Hog leaned forward, rolling up the frayed and burnt hem of Junkrat’s right pant leg as he fiddled with the small belts on the prosthetic, it was probably best if he didn’t add pressure sores to the list of their problems right now. He placed the crude prosthetic to the side, leaning back against the wall to relax and keep watch. All he had to do now was simply look after the wound until the kid woke up, easier said than done.

It was almost three days before Junkrat began to stir, his eyes went from being peaceful to scrunched in pain, his mouth opening in a groan as he tried to sit up only to be forced back onto the bedroll by a massive hand on his chest. A choked gasp escaped him, his mouth dry and his breath like sand in his throat, eyes cleared from the pain slowly and he noticed the gargantuan form of his body guard leaning over him, the crude mask greeting his gaze. A canteen of water was offered to him, which he greedily went to take with his dominant hand only for everything to come snapping back into focus suddenly. Junkrat lurched forward quickly, Roadhog pulling back suddenly as Jamie vomited bile onto the ground, the realisation of his _accident_ flicking the pain back to life. He hiccuped in quick breaths, his chest rising and falling with the movement, Roadhog’s hand still clenching his shoulder probably a little harder than necessary.

“Calm down. It’s alright.” 

“Alright?” Junkrat’s voice cracked, “it’s not fuckin’ alright!”

“It’s healing.”

“It hurts.” Jamie whimpered pathetically as he reached for the canteen with his left hand, he took a few ginger sips before he realised how thirsty he actually was and downed half the contents coughing and gagging when he drank too quickly. “Honestly didn’t think I was gonna wake up.”

Roadhog was silent, he agreed, there had been a very large chance that the kid wasn’t going to wake up at all and he had briefly wondered how long he was going to look after him before abandoning the endeavour entirely. Jamie was still rather pale, the blood loss probably a factor to that, but the wound itself was looking much better. It was still a red hot blistered mess but as of yesterday it had stopped the oozing of fluid and looked as if the skin wasn’t as tender as it was before, sure it would still be painful but at least he was only at the risk of infection now and no longer going to bleed out on Roadhog. He offered Junkrat a small selection of dried meats, a slither of bread and another canteen of water, the kid would probably be starved but it didn’t show, he picked gingerly at them instead, his eyes were focused on the bandaged stump in his lap.

“How long was I out?”

“Three days.”

“What the fuck?” Jamie looked around, angry and a little confused, curling his lanky body on himself until he realised what had happened and he glared daggers at the larger man. “You did this to me!”

“…”

“You fuckin’ burnt me!”

“Cauterised.”

“Huh?”

“I stopped the bleeding by burning the wound shut. You’re lucky to be alive after the fuckin’ stunt you pulled.”

Junkrat at least had the decency to look ashamed of himself, his eyes flicked to his launcher and the collection of bombs and grenades that were all piled in the corner together. He had learnt his lesson alright, some things definitely couldn’t be mixed together. His arm throbbed with pain, a blistering heat just below the surface, he wanted to grip it tight and smother the feeling but he had learnt with his leg that it didn’t always help. His prosthetic was cast aside, it looked like a pile of junk indistinguishable from the rest of the scrap that littered the warehouse. There was plenty of parts here, he could easily make himself something when his mind wasn’t so occupied by the pain.

Roadhog approached him with new dressings and Junkrat’s gut coiled instinctively yet he didn’t put up any fight, there was no point. Roadhog could easily overpower him and the pain it caused wouldn’t be worth the outcome at the end of the day. Jamie sat in silence, what was left of his right arm held out in the large hands of his body guard who was being surprisingly gentle about the entire ordeal. When the last bandage was peeled off, Junkrat blanched feeling the bile and what little he had eaten rise back up in his throat. Fuck, it looked terrible. Nothing like his leg which had been a mess of bruising and swollen stitches. No, this was puckered flesh, red raw and weeping which made him quickly look away. 

The fingers of his left hand twitched, Junkrat’s eyes trained on the way they moved. He realised that building something was going to be quite difficult, he wasn’t that dextrous with his other hand but it looked like he was going to have to teach himself if this was ever going to work. Amber eyes looked around the warehouse, pieces of scrap and bolts jumping out at his mind on what could be useful. He needed to heal and when he could he needed to build himself something that would get him by, there were some half trashed Omnics, hopefully their parts would be helpful. When Roadhog pulled the bandages tight Junkrat grimaced and almost brought up his stomach once more. The pain was immense, the deep throbbing pain from actually losing the limb mixed with the burning sensation of his raw skin. This was hell.

“Here.” Roadhog offered Junkrat his mask once more so he could compress another can of Hogdrogen and hopefully keep the kid high and relatively peaceful so he wouldn’t bitch and complain all night. Junkrat was looking at him with wide eyes. “What?”

“Ya face.”

“What about it?”

“Nothin’ just don’t remember seein’ it before is all.” Junkrat seemed a little lost and Roadhog was entirely confused but he was willing to blame the kid’s memory on the pain he must be in. He compressed the can, listening to it hiss was satisfying before he took the mask back. “Why do ya wear it?”

“It’s difficult to breathe without it.” Roadhog pulled the straps tight, feeling more secure with the leather back on his face. A large meaty hand was on the Junker’s chest, slowly and somewhat gently pushing him back against the bedroll. “Sleep.”

“But I ain’t tired.” 

“It will help you heal.” Roadhog rubbed the back of his neck where he could feel the tension build up and a headache coming along. “Don’t fuckin’ back chat me on this.”

“Ya ain’t me mum.”

“No. Thank God.”

“Oi!”

“Shut up and sleep.”

“Well at least be useful and look around for some scrap whilst I’m out, something I can use to build myself an arm. I ain't no use to anyone like this, I’m practically ‘armless… Get it?” He exploded into giggles as Roadhog huffed a dejected sigh. 

“Please… just sleep.” The gas couldn’t kick in soon enough, sure it helped Roadhog breathe but there was pain relief infused into the concoction, enough for him to take off the edge as he rasped for breaths and hopefully enough to knock Junkrat the fuck out. 

The kid was just laying there, on his back with his left hand in the air whilst he moved his fingers back and forth and giggled at what he saw. It wouldn’t be long now. Once he was out Hog could do another perimeter check and make another run for supplies to the nearby town. They were getting low on food and water, if there were medical supplies he would think about grabbing those too. The only problem was they were running out of things to bargain with. Hopefully there was some stuff left over that could at least get them through until Junkrat was healed. His eyes wandered to his charge, Junkrat was no longer moving, his mouth open wide as he snored quietly. 

Finally, some peace and quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is continuing to read this story and leave me lovely comments and kudos. I love hearing what you have to say even comments you may not think are worth it, I read every single one and they all make me smile.
> 
> Updates will probably still be monthly, every now and then they might take a week or so longer. Life gets in the way sometimes but mostly it's my nature to perfect and add to chapters when really they don't need it anymore. So honestly, if a chapter is late it is more likely that I'm not happy with how it ends than any sort of crisis in my life. 
> 
> That being said thank you for reading this chapter and leave a kudos or a comment if you want.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Roadhog has become a mere errand boy for Junkrat. 
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and reviews!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the slow update it won't happen again if I can help it. To be fair a lot has changed in my life but I doubt you want to hear about that.

Junkrat was healing, not well but it was getting there rather slowly. His wound was still being bandaged every day and his skin was no longer red raw from the cauterisation but he still bitched and complained every chance he got. He had Roadhog running around for him like a damned errand boy, supplies for food, water and what medical items they could scavenge and bargain for at the nearby settlement. It turned out that word of Junkrat’s treasure and contract with the ex-enforcer hadn’t travelled this far yet and so they were lucky in that regard and fairly comfortable but who knew how long that would last. It had already been six weeks and Junkrat was not exactly moping around the warehouse, in fact he was constantly scrounging for scrap and tinkering well into the night much to Roadhog’s chagrin. 

Turns out he was trying to build himself an arm, Roadhog had no doubt that the kid could do it, the peg leg, as crude as it was, was evidence enough that he had some knowledge on how prosthetics worked. Jamie had been scavenging wires, plates and sometimes even whole arms from the scrapped Omnics that lay around the warehouse and sending Roadhog for specific items that he could not find. The amalgamation of parts was beginning to take shape into something useful but each time it appeared finished Junkrat would rip it apart and start again complaining about something Roadie didn’t really understand. 

The kid was also upgrading his peg leg at the same time, not the design but the way it connected to his thigh, he was sick and tired of juggling with belts and pins to remove something whenever he wanted to sleep. He began muttering about ball-joints and magnets and Roadhog simply let him prattle on into the night ignoring what he could before Junkrat would slump over in exhaustion. The two of them were getting comfortable in the warehouse, they had spent too long in the same place, not only were they subject to attacks but if they were surrounded there was only so much their little supplies could do. Every time Roadhog stepped foot in the nearby settlement he wondered whether it was going to be the last time he could go there, he was just waiting for some idiot to take a pot-shot at him and for everything to erupt into chaos again. 

These quiet weeks were boring, Junkrat was becoming stir crazy, unlike Hog he was confined to the warehouse tinkering away at mechanical parts that were all starting to look the same. He knew what he wanted to do, knew where everything needed to go but he was missing one key component and he wasn’t going to get it here scavenging off old Bastion and Titan units. What Junkrat had so far was what he needed, articulate metal fingers, a ball joint for a wrist and the small inner workings behind the hard metal shell. What he needed was a nerve relay that could translate his signals to the arm so it wasn’t a lifeless hunk of junk.

“Roadie…” No answer. “Roadie!” 

“What?”

“I need ya ta get me somethin’.”

“What now?”

“Anyone in the town got a functionin’ prosthetic of any kind? I need a nerve relay connection and bots don’t have no need for somethin’ like that. I need ya ta get one for me.”

“They ain’t gonna sell that kinda shit here, only in Junkertown.”

“I ain’t askin’ ya to buy one ya fuckin’ drongo. Steal it, kill ‘em and loot ‘em, I don’t give a shit I just need one otherwise we’re goin’ to be stuck here until I get one.”

“Fine.” Roadhog grumbled as if waiting for Junkrat to continue, to push that little bit further so he could smack the kid upside the head. In a show of intelligence Jamie stayed quiet, turning his attention back to his tinkering and letting Roadhog simply grumble beneath his mask.

Honestly, he had been looking forward to a confrontation with Junkrat, it had been all too quiet recently and he was starting to itch with the need to do his actual job. Babysitting was not Roadhog’s gig, it was not what he had signed up for but this is what he had become in the past few weeks. Saving Junkrat’s life had been worth it, patching him up afterwards… not so much. He was just a kid sure, and he was allowed to whine and bitch about the pain, Hog had never lost an arm or leg so how would he know? It was just so boring, Junkrat wasn't healthy enough to keep moving, yet he wasn’t invalid enough for Roadhog to keep him hopped up on Hogdrogen, so they had formed this frustrating middle ground. Junkrat would push his limits, tickle the boundaries of how far he could poke and prod at Roadhog before the larger man would lose his temper. He should of put a stop to that behaviour immediately but he had been hesitant as not to hurt Rat and look where that had ended up.

Blinking into the bright sunlight, Roadhog moved around the back of the warehouse carefully to retrieve his hidden motorcycle. He was going to have to go to this settlement and look for what Junkrat needed, he had no idea what a nerve relay could be or even what it looked like but it shouldn’t be too hard to come across. There had been some Junkers with prosthetics, two with a leg and one with an arm if he remembered correctly, the easiest thing to do would be to simply kill them without damaging the prosthetic and dumping the body at Junkrat’s feet. If the kid wasn’ t entirely unhinged he probably would of gotten a kick out of his shocked face, but honestly Jamie would probably be more delighted than anything else. 

Roadhog had gotten to know his charge over the past year, he knew how detached to life and death he had become and honestly it was like watching someone slowly slip into madness and actually be proud of the outcome. He could see it now. Jamie would giggle, congratulate him on his work and simply scavenge the part he needed without regarding the body once. Maybe it might be easier to go back to Junkertown and barter for a proper relay. They didn't have the time though and Roadhog knew there was probably no going back to the corrupted town. The small settlement would have to do, he’d hate to give Junket credit but it seemed like stealing the part was the only way to go.

Roadhog hated hiking to and from this place in the hot desert sun every other day but right now he didn’t have a choice, their supplies were continuously running low and it seemed like Junkrat needed a new part or bandages immediately after he had done a trip which made him have to set out all over again. People in the town didn’t exactly know what he was up to but it was obvious by their behaviour that they knew who he was. The one man apocalypse, the ex-enforcer who would rather tear them apart than make a deal. Mostly he was left alone whilst in town, buying and bargaining what they needed and heading on his way. Heading back was always the hardest part, he had to make sure he wasn’t followed, that he lead no one back to their hideout. It would probably be the death of them both.

The engine kicked over, the satisfying roar was lost amongst the open plains of the scorching desert, kicking up sand and red dirt as he headed towards the north, back to where the town loomed as a black blotch against the horizon. It was surrounded by dead trees and ragged rocks, plenty of cover for those willing to take their chances and jump on unsuspecting travellers or in Roadhog’s case, a place for him to stash his bike and continue into the commune on foot. It was never a pleasant walk, hot, sweaty and uncomfortable and the town itself offered very little shade from the burning sun. 

His mask was a familiar face in the crowds by now, at first the Junkers were hesitant around him, but mostly they just ignored him now. It was much better to blend into a crowd than to stand out in the open. The hardest thing he had to do was find that man with the prosthetic arm he had seen earlier in the week whilst gathering supplies, he assumed the nerve relay from someone with an arm prosthetic would be much more useful to his charge than one from any other piece of scrap. Problem was, this man didn’t own a market stall, he could be anywhere amongst the commune during the hot day, he could even be holding out in a shelter somewhere to wait out the heat. 

Roadhog would do what he normally did to avoid suspicion, he would go and trade supplies for food and water, then scrap for ammunition and money for petrol. He was going to have to keep an eye out and take the opportune moment to find his prey and take him out quietly. This commune of Junkers and Raiders were strangely peaceful, they would definitely notice someone missing from their ranks, even someone who didn’t contribute much to their society. He would have to make sure they moved on as quickly as possible, the two of them had escaped from a settlement before but it was unlikely they could do it again.

Junkrat had grown over the last few months but the weeks he was kept locked away in an abandoned warehouse had driven him towards insanity more than any residue radiation in the Outback could. Was Roadhog worried? Not in the slightest, he was not responsible for Junkrat’s actions, he was only responsible for his safety and that was the only thing he was thinking about. He wasn’t concerned about Junkrat’s wound, wasn’t thinking how the kid had barely eaten since his slow recovery and he definitely hadn’t noticed his descent into madness. No Roadhog didn’t worry about those sorts of things.

There was a pit in his gut though, an itching feeling that would tickle it’s way to the back of his throat and cause his breathing to be more ragged than normal. He chocked it up to the poisonous air and the running around he had been doing lately, not the residual feelings he held for the crazed little Junker. He was starting to think of the kid as the son he never wanted and that was a dangerous path to head down. Roadhog didn’t have a family, Mako did, once upon a time, but that life was far behind him and buried with the death that was Mako Rutledge. 

Hog couldn’t think about those things now, his sight was looking inwards when he was suppose to be keeping an eye out for the prosthetic and nerve relay. He handed over what little cash he had left for petrol and weighed his options, there was some dried meat for food, plastic canteens with warm sloshing water which he doubted their cleanliness, his rucksack also jingled with useless scrap with every step he took. It was mostly junk, no one in their right mind would trade it for anything useful, but to him it was like gold. Scrap that no one else wanted made the perfect ammunition for Roadhog’s beast of a gun, its widened barrel was prefect to take the mis matched bits of metal.

He wondered what they were going to do once they reached Sydney, he doubted Junkrat had any idea what was really out there, he just had his eyes on the promise of a better life. Roadhog didn’t have the heart to tell the kid otherwise. There was nothing in Sydney for either of them, the suits don’t appreciate the Junkers from the Outback, they look down on them like second rate citizens. It was easier for the country to simply forget about the irradiated wasteland than it was for them to try and fix it, there was only so much the government would do.

Roadhog knew that Junkrat would hate the place, hopefully once there he could convince the kid to go back home and get out of their verbal agreement. Junkrat probably wouldn’t survive in the city, he would hate it and would probably be arrested within the hour. Of course, the Outback would eat him alive. Between the bounty on his head, the Enforcers and pretty much anyone the brat had pissed off, he’d be dead within a week. Without Roadhog he wouldn't last. Going back to the dried irradiated wasteland would simply seal his fate as Junkrat’s guard for the rest of his life. 

Did he want that? No, probably not, but the kid had rubbed off on him and honestly he didn’t want to see him lying in a ditch somewhere. Looked like he was going to be stuck with him and it was going to get worse if he didn’t find that God damn nerve relay. He hadn’t caught sight of the beggar man since entering the small town and that was never a good sign. He could be passed out somewhere in the shade or he might not be here at all. That wouldn’t bode well with Junkrat when he came back empty handed; he had to find him, or one of the leg relays at least. Would that work though? Could something designed for a man’s leg be used for a scrap created hand?

Fuck it. He had to find that man! Grumbling Roadhog tried to find the closest bar to pass the time and see if he could catch some whispers of the man’s where abouts. If he outright asked then the town would easily be able to point the finger once the man’s body turned up. The darkness and coolness the shade of the bar offered him was relieving against the scorched sun. Most communes had some sort of permanent shelter to offer the residents a place to escape the ever climbing heat. Most were community bars or something else along those lines, because when people were hot they were stupid and willing to pay any sort of price for a drink.

Roadhog wasn’t stupid but it had been a long time since he had a drink, beer or otherwise. One wouldn’t hurt and no one would look at him twice if he actually looked like he belonged in the commune. He ordered, was pissed at the price and the relative size before settling down in the corner and out of the way. He didn’t want to attract attention, but also the corner allowed him to survey every single patron in the bar. There were a few weedy little characters that reminded him of Junkrat and it had his spine tingling with rage, they spoke loudly and commanded the bars attention with their tittering laughter. He wanted to go over there and smash their stupid little faces in. He could barely handle Junkrat, he couldn’t imagine living here and having to deal with these little fuckers day in and day out.

Light flooded in, filtered slightly by the dark lenses on his mask and it was him, the man with the prosthetic. Roadhog smirked, waiting patiently for the man to get comfortable, waiting for him to let his guard down. In a small commune like this there were very little places to hide, Roadhog knew the man would turn up here eventually, everyone did. No one could survive in the blazing heat without seeking shade at least once in the day, the heat alone was enough to fry one’s brain and those that knew better would scurry away when the sun was at it’s highest. It only made sense for this man to seek shelter and the bar was the best place when one wanted to quench their thirst.

Roadhog let the man settle in first, a good half an hour for him to drink away his trouble before he had something else to worry about. The easiest way would be to wait for the man to leave, stalk him into the narrow streets and take him out quietly. There was no fun in that, and Roadhog wasn’t exactly a quiet man but it would be the quickest way. He tensed, one of the crazed skinny Junker’s approached him, drink in hand and offering it to Roadhog. He surveyed the man with distaste, hidden behind his mask and he looked to the beer that was offered to him.

“I know who you are!” The man grinned and Roadhog saw the missing teeth in a mouth full of rotting gums.

“Good for you.”

“What’s a big fucker like you doin’ in our small town.”

“Workin’.”

“You’re no longer an Enforcer eh? Bounty Hunter I heard, who you commin’ to kill in our neck of the woods?”

Roadhog looked from the beer he was offered to the Junker, it would be so easy to lean over the table and smother him behind a giant hand. He couldn’t though, this man wasn’t his intended target and from what he had seen this little Junker thought he was hot shit in this commune. He tilted his head slightly, watching the man with the prosthetics sitting down at the bar and minding his own business. His hand reached for his gun, setting the behemoth on the table and causing the little Junker to jump.

“What’s your name?”

“What?”

“Your name. You might be on my list.”

“Oh come on man, I haven’t done nothing!”

“Your name.”

“Alex.”

“Lucky you.” Roadhog grumbled a laugh, causing the man to back away slightly, if only he could kill him, stop the rumours of his current residence before they even start to emerge this far. It was too late though, this man had obviously known who he was and had known for a long time; that meant that he and Junkrat were no longer safe in this commune. He was going to have to find that nerve relay and move on quickly if they ever hoped to get out of here alive, who knew how long until Enforcers and bounty hunters started arriving. 

Roadhog drained the beer that had been bought for him, he stood slowly, gave one last glance towards Alex and was smirking when he made the kid jump before he exited the bar. Now he would simply have to play the waiting game, he would enjoy the peace and quiet whilst it lasted. He wasn’t looking forward to being back on the road with Junkrat, the confines of the motorbike and the constant yammering from his charge made him want to abandon the kid on the side of a road somewhere. He made a verbal agreement and although Roadhog was a lot of things, he wasn’t about to go back on his word.

It was at least another hour before the prosthetic man emerged from the bar, stumbling slightly from what he had drunk in such a short time. Roadhog pushed away from the wall, his muscles sore and stiff from sitting in the same place for too long, he was just itching to kill something. He followed the man, as quietly as he could, he was lucky he was inebriated enough that he couldn’t hear the rasping breaths coming from his mask’s ports. He quickly looked around behind him, no one was there, now was the perfect time. The man’s neck was sweaty beneath his fingers, slick with grime as he stumbled and swore around his words. Roadhog’s grip tightened silencing the futile cries his eyes looking to the prosthetic.

He had two options, kill the man and take the appendage or he could simply cut off his arm. The second he could either bleed out on the red hot dirt or he might be saved. Roadhog couldn’t risk that, there was already someone in the commune that knew his face, he couldn’t have another. He could make the death quick, a shotgun of scrap to the man’s chest would do the trick, but he might damage the prosthetic. No it was probably better this way, to wring the life out of him with his bare hands. His skin was oily beneath his fingers, the man’s nails digging into the flesh of his arm and scrabbling scratches that drew blood. He put up a fight, as futile as it was, no one could escape Roadhog’s grasp once he had them in his massive hands.

It was over, his body was limp between Roadhog’s fingers, he gently lowed the man to the ground. His hook cut through the man’s flesh with ease, the bone was a little bit more difficult, it took quiet a good yank to pull it free, blood spraying onto him and the red dirt. Hog wiped it away with a grimace, cleaning what he could off of his hands and stuffing the arm into his bag along with the rest of his prizes. It was time to leave, he had to get out of this town before anyone found the body. They would definitely know it was him, he was the new face in town and once that Alex kid blabbed who he really was he’d have Junkers and Raiders out for his blood. Wouldn’t be the first time it happened. Chuckling, Roadhog heaved his rucksack over his shoulder and headed out of town, wouldn’t take him too long to get back to Junkrat and hopefully once he finished his arm they would be good to go.

The dark blotch of the warehouse was a welcomed sight on the horizon. Roadhog had been extremely paranoid on the way back and he had serpentined the bike back and forth along several trails to lose anyone that might be curious enough to follow him. He didn’t think anyone had seen him leave the commune, he also believed they probably hadn't found the body and probably wouldn’t for a few days. The now dead man not having a big part in the community probably worked in his favour. Hog had wasted time though, he had spared precious hours all because he had been worried about Junkrat’s safety but now he had cut their time before they had to leave in half. It would probably be best to let Junkrat do what he needed before he stressed that they leave, but he was only worried about their safety and who knew how long it was going to last now.

Roadhog ducked into the shade of the warehouse, giving his eyes a few seconds to adjust without the constant glare or the blaring Outback sun. There was Jamie, he had put several pots of water on to boil, he seemed to be filtering what they needed into fresh containers. The kid had also packed up most of their scrap and food supplies, he only had his bedroll out by the small campfire and the small pile of scrap spread in front of him. He didn’t seem to of heard Roadhog come in, but that was probably caused by tinnitus that the kid probably had, no one got that close to explosions without some sort of hearing problem.

“Here.” Roadhog grunted tossing the limb at Junkrat’s feet. There was a heavy thump as the flesh and metal hit the cold ground, what little blood was left oozed a small puddle onto the metal floor. Junkrat looked up at him in awe with a wicked little grin on his face, scrabbling fingers grasping for the severed arm with glee. He didn’t seemed fussed by the blood nor the arm, Junkrat simply had his eyes on the prize and that was the harsh metal attached to the dead flesh.

“Thanks mate!”

Roadhog grunted in reply, leaving his charge to do whatever he needed too whilst he went and attempted to clean the blood from himself. Quite a difficult task to do when one didn’t want to waste water, who knew when they would get supplies again. They definitely weren’t going to be taking a trip to that commune anytime soon. Using an old rag, he wiped at his fingers, blood caught beneath the chipping nail polish and between the creases of his skin. 

“Don’t break that. You don’t know what I went through to get it.”

“Big tough guy like you? Sure you were fine.”Junkrat removed the prosthetic from what was left of the arm and he tossed the fleshy stump away from him, pathetically it thumped onto the ground. He seemed to be working quite deftly with his left hand, probably the weeks of practise he had whilst being stuck in this hell hole. Screwdriver in hand he started tinkering away at the device he needed, bits and pieces falling from the prosthetic until Junkrat had gathered exactly what he sought. To Roadhog it looked like a simple plate with pins, something that Junkrat seemed to be intent on cleaning which was a strange red flag for his body guard. The kid never cleaned anything. 

“Bring me the hot water from the pot will ya Hoggie?” Roadhog didn’t grumble, he didn’t even complain. He fetched the hot water that was boiling over the small camp fire they had allowed themselves and placed it in front of the kid. He watched as Junkrat poured the contents over the pins, swearing when he caught his fingers in hot water immediately sticking them into his mouth.

“What are you doin’?”

“Gotta clean it mate. See the pins? They have to connect to me nervous system so I can relay the message from me brain to me arm. It’s all good for the leg, springs and joints can simulate it enough but can’t achieve that with an arm, I need this but I ain’t gonna stick it inta me until I know it’s clean. I already got an infection from where ya burnt me, don’t want to add another on top.”

“Didn’t think you were that smart.”

“I’ve learnt a thing or two.”

“How long till ya done?”

“Dunno, why?”

“We gotta move out. We’re not welcome here.”

“Ya fucked up the commune didn’t you? Wish I coulda been there.”

“Next time.”

“Promise?”

Roadhog smiled beneath the mask, thankful that the little shit couldn’t see it. Of course he was right, would of been much easier if Junkrat was there but the kid had been such a mess recently that he knew it would of been a bad idea. He also felt sorry for whoever the poor bastard was that was going to be on the receiving end of Junkrat’s wrath. The kid was a ticking time bomb being cooped up here, he was just waiting to explode and Roadhog couldn’t wait to see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway this chapter I decided to focus mainly on Roadhog and his thoughts cause I feel like our big man just doesn't get the love he deserves. Also I decided to have Junkrat's prosthetic be an amalgamation of different things, half being built, scavenged and stolen from Omnics. The nerve relay is something I haven't seen before but I noticed that in game most people with prosthetic arms have something on there that looks like round pins. From memory Junkrat has his on the back of his elbow, Symm has hers at her shoulder and I'm pretty sure Mcree has it too but his robot hand is hard to see in most of his outfits. Damn cowboy! Anyway I came to the conclusion that they have to be able to control it somehow so I came up with the nerve relay. I know it probably would never work and I don't know much about science but the best thing is that Overwatch is in the future so who cares.
> 
> Did anyone hear the Athena voice line for Junkertown? I hope it's a thing!!
> 
> Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review if you liked it.
> 
> Love you all!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which both of them reflect on what they have done.
> 
> Has anyone been on the PTR and checked out Junkertown? I'm loving the law we're getting for the Junkers although my story couldn't be more far from the truth but meh, who cares. I am going to start hinting at stuff that is canon to try and tie everything all together but to change it completely now would be ridiculous. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy.

Junkrat was laying back against the red compressed dirt, the air was dark, he knew the thick excess of radiation was covering up the night sky hiding the moon and stars from his view. He wondered briefly what they looked like, how tribes a long time ago use to use them to find their way? It all seemed so strange to him, as far as Jamie could tell, East was where things were green and beautiful, West was where there were monsters lurking around every corner. 

“You ever think we’ll come back?” His voice pierced the darkness, Hog’s mask looking in his direction was the only indication that his body guard had heard him at all. The silence between them was one that Junkrat knew so well, one that he deciphered into his own answer, one he assumed the larger man would give him if he was fond of talking. “To Junkertown. I mean it’s the safest place goin’ round, those high walls, the Enforcers, fuck me I even miss the food.”

Roadhog huffed, a disgruntled sound.

“Yeah, you’re right. Stupid bitch wouldn’t take us back anyway. Would love ta steal those riches right from under her nose. We should do that! Take her for everythin’ she’s worth, show her that settin’ the Enforcer’s on me was a bad idea.” Junkrat giggled, his laughter dying off into the darkness when he realised that Hog wasn't paying him any mind.

Jamie sat up, the ball on his new knee joint squeaking in protest at how quick he moved. Metal fingers reached out to grasp flesh from the half cooked creature on the spit, a dingo that had met it’s fate to his trap and Hog’s hook. Junkrat popped the morsel into his mouth clutching onto a bottle of booze thats label had been worn thin, the dark liquid inside appearing almost amber in the fire light. He chugged back a generous mouthful, his throat constricted and he coughed, eyes watering and staring daggers at his larger counterpart.

“You shut ya fuckin’ mouth!”

“Didn’t say nothin’.”

“Yeah but you were thinkin’ it ya old fart!” Junkrat sneered across the flames, watching as Roadhog lifted his mask slightly to take a swig, it seemed to go down much smoother with the older man.

“Quite a haul hey? Not a bad little town that we raided! Still gotta update ya gun though, massive firepower but it’s just too god damn slow, need somethin’ with a bit more speed don’t ya reckon?” Junkrat took another sip, a bit more gingerly this time and the alcohol ran smoothly down the back of his throat, only burning slightly as an after taste. It did make his belly feel warm though which was always welcoming in the cold harsh nights of the Outback.

“How’s ya arm?” Junkrat seemed confused by Roadhog’s words, his eyes flickered to his left seeing flesh fingers grasping the bottle, they then shifted to his right, metal tips still covered in juice from the meat and he hastily wiped it away on his ashen stained pants. 

“It’s been like a month Hoggie, ya can stop askin’ me. I’m fine. No sign of infection and the nerve relay is workin’ the way it’s suppose ta. It still feels strange sometimes but it ain’t like my leg, this time when I think I feel fingers at least I can see them movin’ unlike me toes.”

“Don’t break it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it big guy!” Junkrat tittered off into laughter, as he silenced his giggles with another sip of alcohol, this one much larger, the more he had the braver he was becoming. He watched with fascination as Roadhog leaned forward, his large fingers clenching into the cooked flesh of the dingo and tearing off a large chunk of meat. He crossed the fire, dumping the huge serving in Rat’s free hand pointing to it with what could only be described as a stern look on his unexpressive mask covered face.

“Eat.”

“I ain’t really hungry.”

“If you’re gonna drink, you’re gonna eat. I ain’t gonna deal with your hung over ass tomorrow.”

“Fine. Jesus, ya always tellin’ me what ta do!”

Roadhog rolled his eyes and stalked back to the other side of the fire, tearing some flesh from their meal before he sat down with a heavy thud. He watched as Junkrat nibbled at the meat, tearing at it with sharp canines like a wild animal, if it wasn’t for the radioactive creatures he probably would of been at home in the Outback. They sat in silence chewing on their morsels and drinking back booze that neither should really be having. Roadhog hated being inebriated, it dulled his senses and that wasn’t something he liked in his line of work. He didn’t know how much Junkrat usually drank but considering his reaction earlier and this was the first time Hog had seen him knock something back he assumed it wasn’t very often. If that was the case than there was a very large chance the kid was going to feel like absolute shit tomorrow.

“Ya ever thought ‘bout escapin’ this hell hole Hog?” Jamie was sitting on his bedroll, wiping greasy fingers on his pants and staring up again at the bleak night sky, his voice was quiet, curious but of course after seconds of waiting he received no answer. “I just want ta see what else is out there, I mean this can’t be all there is to life, Junkertown may be the centre of the Outback but theres people thrivin’ on the coast. They don’t have a Queen like we do… I think, and they seem to be doin’ alright. Maybe, we could take what they have ey? Wouldn’t mind havin’ some of those riches for myself… and you of course, can’t forget that. You split the spoils from today didn’t ya? Fifty-fifty like always?”

“Yes.”

“Fuckin’ brilliant. Can’t wait ta get outta here.” Junkrat took another heavy sip from the bottle, his eyes bright as he looked at the fire burning dull before them. The first night he had encountered Skip there had been a similar fire, one with two men sitting beside it and an argument that had echoed into the still night. He couldn't really remember what had been said but he could remember the outrage on their faces and the anger boiling inside of Skip. Honestly, back then she could of left him, whether he would still be alive today is something that he couldn’t answer, but after meeting the vicious people of the Outback in their travels he highly doubted it. Not saying there hadn’t been some nice ones, but those didn’t live as long if they weren’t useful nor were they vicious.

One needed tough skin living in this wasteland and not everyone born into this life could handle it. Junkrat didn't know any better, he had been on his own before he had been picked up by Skip like a stray fucking dog. He had tried his best to help in those early days but seeing he was just constantly brushed off by everyone but Skip he had simply given up and had only his own life and hers on his mind. As he grew he had become more selfish, he put it up to the time they had spent apart in that Junker commune. He had been out everyday risking his life for scrap and getting very little reward whilst Skip had been comfortable in the commune acting as a nurse. He had been bitter now that he looked back on it, he had looked at her lifestyle and felt nothing but resentment towards his friend. Had he pulled that stunt on purpose, had he opened his mouth and talked non stop just to give them an excuse to leave? 

That thought made his gut constrict. If so then he had sealed Skip’s fate, he had been the one to initially push her away and she had simply responded in kind. It didn’t make her betrayal any easier to stomach, in fact it still made his heart clench and his belly twist into knots, but he couldn’t blame himself. It was her choice, she left with those men because she wanted to survive, Junkrat had left her in that shack because he wanted to survive, he had struck up a deal with Roadhog for the same reason. His body guard was right, everyone in the Outback was selfish and Jamie was no different. He was just like every other little crazed fucker out there, lucky for him though was that he had managed to make a deal with one of the most fearsome men around and that was probably the sole reason he had lasted this long.

“She was all I really had ya know?”

“Who?”

“Skip. She was more like a mum ta me than me actual mum. Is that harsh to say? I dunno. All I know was that Skip came back, she always looked out for me. Made sure I was ok and wasn’t goin’ to do anythin’ too stupid. She couldn’t protect me from everythin’, she was there when the dingo attacked me, she was also the one that smashed it’s fuckin’ head in. I never really thanked her for that. I feel like she didn’t have ta look after me but she did, she did it a lot and I left her. Have ya ever left someone behind Hog? Left them ta die? I have… Yeah I know Skip didn’t die that day she was surrounded by the Enforcers, but a part of her must of. I just can’t see her sidin’ with that cunt Baz.”

Roadhog could feel the guilt eating away at his gut as he watched Junkrat ramble on into the night, the high flames of their camp fire were beginning to burn low, the heat tickling their fronts and the cold biting at their backs. He took a drink, watching as if mirrored, Junkrat do the same. The small break in the constant chattering was enough to alert Roadhog of the streams of tears running down the kid’s face, clean streaks on normally dirty cheeks, the sheen glistening from the fire light. He knew better than to say anything, knew better than to interrupt, it was times like this that he would just let Jamie prattle on.

“I mean I don't know what she got up ta when I wasn’t around. It’s not like I was glued to her side or anythin’, it’s just that they never really seemed friendly even before I became a thorn in their side. Best guess is that she was forced to accompany him, but if that was the case then you killed an innocent woman. I don’t think you would do that, I mean you’re a scary mother fucker and I love that about ya but I’ve also seen ya soft side. Lambie and Cass are evidence of that.” Junkrat took another swig from the bottle before lowering it into the red dirt, propping it up against a small rock. “Everyone just wants to survive out here, let’s face it. Skip betrayed me for her own hide, she saw an out and she took it, I guess I don’t really blame her for it. Still hurts ya know?”

Jamie sloppily wiped at his face, flesh hand smearing the tears through smudged ash, the metal one leaving red welts behind from how hard he had rubbed. He hiccuped, his breath smelling like alcohol and salt. His silent tears falling for Skip even though a part of him didn’t believe she deserved his sorrow. The alcohol had blurred his mind, making him think of her even when he didn’t want to. It was hard losing her, he could see her mangled body and face every time he closed his eyes. He could remember every piece of advice, but with each day her voice grew weaker in his mind, her smile disappearing from his thoughts. All he could remember was her betrayal and the hatred that boiled in his guts at the thought of her standing side by side with Baz.

“Ya think I’ll forget her?”

“No.”

“What?”

“You’ll never forget someone like that.”

“She’s already becomin’ hazy in my mind… fuck I can’t even remember what my parents looked like.” Junkrat watched, dazed as Roadhog approached him, he hadn’t even heard the big fucker get up. Now all he could hear was those rasping breaths through the mouth ports as Hog reached down and grasped what was left of the alcohol bottle. 

“That’s enough for tonight.”

“Oi… come on mate, there ain’t much left.”

“”Exactly.” Roadhog’s firm hand on Jamie’s chest had him being forced to lay back on his bed roll, amber eyes staring up in defiance before eventually they glazed over and he gave up, falling back with a loud sigh.

“Fine.” Junkrat mumbled something unintelligible beneath his breath, Hog was willing to bet that it was probably more swear words than an actual sentence. Satisfied that the kid was finally going to sleep and that awkward tension between them was over, Roadhog headed back to his side of the camp.

There was that guilt burning in his gut. Jamie had no idea how right he was, Hog had murdered an innocent girl, it wouldn’t be the first time but with Skip she had been unarmed, scared and had just been trying to get away from the commotion. A part of him wondered what would of happened to her if she had lived, if she had managed to escape the Enforcers grasp and flee Junkertown. She probably wouldn’t of made it far on her own but she had seemed resourceful to of been able to survive that long. Hog had ended her life, a flickering of movement and a snap of a hook, it was enough to make him falter the moment he had realised who it was. At first he wondered whether Junkrat wanted to do the honours but the more she had talked the more he had realised the grave mistake he had made. The damage had been done though, there was no healing her after his hook had been ripped through her side, the kindest thing he had done was to put her out of her misery, a quick clean death rather than letting her bleed out on the floor. 

If Junkrat knew. Fuck, if Junkrat ever found out there was a very large chance that Hog would be blown up for his trouble. No it was probably for the best to keep this buried deep within him, in the same place he had hidden Mako Rutledge, let them both boil in his guilt together. Maybe one day, before he would end his contract or before he would end the kid’s life, he would tell Jamie, let him know of every little detail of that day. Until then, Roadhog would make sure that he forgot Skip, he would do everything he could to make sure that Junkrat forgot her too.

He finished the whisky, feeling it burn his throat and numb the pain for the brief burning sensation as it slid down. The bottle was tossed behind him into the darkness, the fire mere burning embers as he laid back on his bedroll and looked up at the foggy sky, the clouds inky and dark giving contrast to a normally bleak looking night. If it rained they would probably have to find shelter. Hog wasn't worried though, he had not seen rain for almost a year and a drought wasn’t about to be broken tonight. He froze, feeling something warm and spindly press against his back. How did he not hear Jamie?

Huffing in annoyance Roadhog rolled over and pushed the kid and his bedroll away from him through the dirt. Junkrat just huffed and waited until Hog had turned around to try again. After the fourth time Hog had just given up, letting Jamie sleep close if it would stop him from constantly poking him awake. Junkrat didn’t move and didn’t push the situation further, it became tolerable. That was how it started, this familial relationship between them that Hog wasn't too happy about. He knew this was going to be a regular thing, that whenever they were safe Jamie was going to seek out the comfort that Roadhog hated to return. Junkrat’s thin bony spine was pressed into the thick muscles and soft padding of Roadhog’s body, the few centimetres of skin contact between them a constant reminder that the other was there, that they were safe and no one had been able to get the jump on them throughout the night.

“Hog? Ya don't have ta answer… but what’s ya name?”

Roadhog let the silence fall between them, this was bad, very bad. Junkrat was obviously missing a family figure in his life and whether he wanted to admit it or not he was constantly looking for that reassurance, for someone to tell him that he had done well and that everything was going to be ok. The problem was that everything wasn't going to be fine, things were going to fucking suck for them and it was only going to get harder the closer to Sydney they travelled. There was no where for them, no where they would be safe and as much as he hated to admit it, all they had was each other.

“Mako.”

“Like the shark?” An affirmed grunt was his answer. “Cool.”

They were never going to talk about this again, Roadhog was not one that was going to bring it up and Junkrat was more than happy to forget anything ever happened by the morning, him showing his weak side would not bode well in the Australian Outback, even if they had left Junkertown long behind them. Jamie would forget Roadhog’s name, he would forget about his sorrow over Skip and he would forget about all the alcohol he drank. It was probably for the best this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a much more quiet chapter, honestly these are my favourite to write. I find something therapeutic about writing inner dialogue and discovery. Next chapter should be something exciting and then I'll probably have them heading towards Sydney, finally!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and reviews guys. I love you all and special shout out to; Proud Bisexual, Oleaginosa,  
> Destructive Anger Issues, the_end_of_all_things_always, WrenShadow, Doffythedouchebag and all the mysterious guests who left comments and kudos.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a filler chapter really because next update probably won't be till after Christmas! I wish all my readers Happy Holidays and a Great New Year!!
> 
> Roadhog is sick and tired of Junkrat's trouble making ways but somehow he still stays.

Jamie was gone. Roadhog had awoken to the sound of cicadas and nothing else. No tinkering, no swearing, no unintelligible mutters under someone’s breath. There was only the screech of the seasonal insects and the calm morning that was slowly going to heat up to temperatures beyond comfort. A part of Roadhog was happy, was he finally free of this stupid contract? The thought though was quickly buried as he looked around their dishevelled little camp, there was a clear sign of a struggle, drag marks in the dirt and the camp fire had been half covered with red dust to distinguish its embers. Junkrat’s weapons were still by his bedroll and Roadhog wondered how he hadn’t woke during the entire ordeal, they must of been able to successfully gag Jamie, that was the only reason he could think of as to why he wouldn’t wake to his loud shrieking cries.

Sitting up slowly, Roadhog cricked his neck feeling his muscles pop and the tension immediately leave him. Jamie’s bedroll had been dragged away from him, and he followed the scuff marks to clear footprints in the harsh red dirt. They lead away from the camp, Hog taking his time to gather the supplies that had been left, he tossed Junkrat’s weapons into the side car grabbing his own scrap gun that had been pushed out of sight on the floor. The footprints led to tire tracks and they were going to be easy enough to follow unless a dust storm was due. The clear sky had him believe otherwise and Hog wasted no time climbing on his bike and kicking the loud engine over.

The wind was hot as it whipped through his hair, the sand like little needle pricks on his skin, his eyes more curious on the tracks he followed than anything else around him. The bike was quiet, well there was the constant rumble of the engine but something was missing. Jamie was missing. The kid couldn’t shut up on a good day, and his incessant prattling just wasn’t filling the silence like it use to. A part of Roadhog admitted that he missed him, missed the sound that had become so familiar and was now angry that it was gone. They had taken his charge, taken his boss and the fact they had left him alive meant that they had no idea who they were dealing with. 

The tire tracks head west and a part of Hog’s heart sank in that instant, there was only one thing that was west of here, only one thing that drew in Junkers like moths to the flame. Junkertown. There was not doubt that they were taking Jamie there, the Queen’s bounty on the kid’s head was quite high and probably very tantalising for a lot of other Junkers seeking out a better life. He’d have to catch up to them before they got that far, getting into Junkertown himself wasn’t as easy as it once was, he was probably no longer a welcome sight after the last mess he had kicked up saving the kid’s arse. Hopefully they had stopped somewhere a long the way, enough time for him to catch up and inflict pain before they entered the large towns scrap metal walls. 

He could just leave Jamie, break their contract now and let the kid rot. He could easily return to his farm, pick up another job and pretend like the crazed little Junker had never existed. The thought alone let a pain constrict in his chest, not only would him failing look bad for business but he hated to admit it, but he had become attached to the kid. Junkrat was unlike anyone else he had ever met before. The kid’s survival instinct was high, but he made rash decisions and thought more about blowing people up than he did about his own safety, he was always chasing that rush and that was what put him in danger. Roadhog had been able to knock some sense into him recently and it was nice to know that his advice was taken on board. He hoped, wherever Junkrat was that the kid was keeping his mouth shut and not stirring up trouble, Hog would hate to of gone through all of this to just find him killed somewhere cause his captors couldn’t stand his inane non stop talking.

Roadhog knew he shouldn’t of let them have those drinks last night. Every now and then it was fine to wet one’s lips but they had drunk too much and he was sure his alcohol fuelled mind had been the reason he had heard no commotion last night. He had been out of it, the kid had probably been out of it and look where that had gotten them. Heading back to Junkertown, a place they both never wanted to see again. They had wanted to escape the corruption and greed that resided in every citizen, wanted to make something of their own life, claim something that they just couldn’t get in Junkertown. The hierarchy of that place was just confusing at best; if one was useful then they were given a place to start a business, if one had no skills they were a Junker, left to scavenge scrap for the ever expanding town. People who could build and fight competed in mech battles that often ended in death, but in victory they were showered with spoils and gained favour of the Queen. A woman who had organised the whole deal, who had twisted everything so she would remain on top and made it impossible for anyone else to challenge her. The Enforcers were her doing, she created them to [e]’protect the town’[/e] but really they protected her and were handsomely paid for it to keep trouble makers out and cull anyone who thought something should change. Hog had left being an Enforcer for this reason, he had told them he had wanted to retire in a sense, but he actually wanted to be his own man again, call his own shots. The Queen would of never of allowed that.

Roadhog wasn’t exactly in her good graces, neither was Junkrat from what he had gathered, it was best if they steered as far away from Junkertown from now on. Problem with that was that this time he didn’t have a choice. Jamie had been kidnapped… again, and it was up to Roadhog to save his arse. Normally he would of been annoyed at this, but at the end of the day it was in his contract to look after the kid and honestly, he had warmed up to him slightly. Roadhog hated to admit he had a weakness, Jamie was more like a liability than anything else, he could look after himself it’s just sometimes the crazed Junker was too rash and would get himself into situations he didn’t know how to get out of. This time though, Roadhog blamed himself. He had let them get loose last night, had taken a chance and it had backfired into his face. Now he was paying the price.

The sand was burning hot around him, shimmering in the heat and pricking at his flesh. The air was warm, as it pushed against his sweat soaked skin in an attempt to cool him down, it did little to alleviate the discomfort but he pushed on through the heat continuing to follow the tracks left in the compressed red dirt. They had veered off road about two kilometres back, this was good news for the ex-enforcer, it meant they weren’t heading directly to Junkertown, they were going to find somewhere to rest up, or he had been wrong and these people were not working for the Queen. Wouldn’t be the first time he had been proven wrong. The question was, if they weren’t working for her then who were they working for? Were they after Junkrat’s treasure for themselves or were they just some crazed raiders looking for payback? It didn’t matter. Roadhog was going to make them regret their choices, he was going to show them who he was and why they called him the one man apocalypse.

The bike slowly grumbled to a stop. The wind was no longer against his skin, he could feel the heat blistering each inch of exposed flesh, he pushed the bike beneath a half dead tree, sharing the shade with some tired kangaroos who didn’t seem too phased by his presence. He stowed the bike away from sight, the cattle station in the distance the only place these people could of taken Junkrat. The tire tracks lead to the the fence line, there must of been a way round back as he couldn’t see the van anywhere in sight. Roadhog knew to trust his instincts, there was no where else they could of gone. This was one of two things, either it was a trap and he was being lead straight to the slaughter, or they were simply resting and relieving themselves from the heat of the day. It didn’t matter, they were in for a world of hurt either way.

******

Junkrat felt like shit. His mouth was dry and felt like it was stuffed with cotton, his head was thumping something terrible and he hated to admit it but maybe Roadhog was right, he had drunk way too much the night before. Old pig face wasn’t making it any better, the road was bumpy and he felt his head knock against the bike, wait…. Junkrat sat up suddenly, his head pounding, his body was lurched to the side and he slammed against the metal of a vehicle, not Roadhog’s bike. His hands were tied behind his back but his legs were free, he managed to steady himself against the side of the van, bracing his peg leg against the wheel arch. There was no one here with him, probably the smart decision, his eyes scanned the back of the van for anything useful. There were scraps and junk but nothing that really stood out, Junkrat didn’t want to pass up the opportunity for something that could be useful later. He wen’t to lean forward, his body suddenly jerking feeling metal scrap against metal. The screeching was silenced when he lurched his body to the side, twisting to see a panel missing from the side of the van, orange paint from his metal arm marked across the black interior. 

A feral grin spread across his features which evolved into a small giggle bubbling forth from his lips. Shifting he caught the rope between the hard shard sawing back and forth and trying to use the momentum of the car to his aid. Tremors running through his body wasn’t making it easy, he hit his head a few times when the van traversed over some rather nasty bumps which never failed to draw a vicious curse from his lips. Junkrat had to get free, he wouldn’t be able to jump from the moving vehicle but maybe he could get the jump on them when they finally came to a stop. Where was he going? Suddenly his stomach dropped with thoughts of Junkertown, no, he couldn’t go back! An absent tongue ran over the gaps between his teeth, a grim reminder of his last visit to Junkertown, thoughts circled his mind threatening to spiral him down. Thoughts of her. The feel of freedom as his hands jerked to the sides was enough to focus his mind on the situation at hand.

Junkrat scrambled forward, hands greedily grasping at the scrap and metal shoving it deep within his tattered pants pockets. He wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity for their usefulness, he never knew when he might need them. Hugging the side of the van wall to not lose his balance, Junkrat sidled up to the back of the double doors. The lock had clearly been tampered with from the inside, to prevent him from rolling across the red sand probably. It wasn't a smart decision to jump out the back of a moving vehicle and Junkrat might of been reckless but he wasn’t stupid, contrary to popular belief. He sat back, not defeated but his mind ticking away on what his next move would be. Problem was he didn’t know how many he was dealing with, he had a maximum of three potential bounty hunters, that’s all the cab in the front could occupy and there certainly wasn’t anyone back here with him. He could deal with three, two would be better but Junkrat was going to prepare for the worst case scenario.

Junkrat had been fiddling with the scraps in his pockets for who knew how long before he felt the van jerk to a sudden stop. His head collided with the harsh metal and he snarled, ready to verbally attack his kidnappers before he tried to simmer down. The slamming doors from the cab caught his attention, he could hear footsteps maybe two sets before the black doors swung open and he blinked back from the light. There were two silhouettes against the red dirt and Junkrat couldn’t help himself but he stumbled further back into the van. He was a little fearful, Roadhog had once told him that fear was a good thing, that it would keep him on his toes, but right now Junkrat was literally cornered, unarmed with a flickering sneer on his lips. The kidnappers were wearing quite bulky attire for the Outback, their faces were covered with masks that reminded him of Roadhog and neither of them said a world. The larger of the two reached into the van and pulled him out by his mechanical wrist, they didn’t seem phased that he had gotten loose of his bonds, besides a secondary glance. 

“So what have I done now?” Junkrat grinned as they dragged him towards the house. He made sure they pulled him along, that he didn’t take any steps what so ever so he wouldn’t jingle the junk in his pockets in case they confiscated it from him. They escorted him toward a shack, it could of been a cattle station or solar farm once upon a time but now it was a shell of the structure it once was. The contrast between the heat and the shade was welcoming even though he had only been exposed for a minute at most. Junkrat was actually surprised that they were treating him rather well, nothing like the Enforcers from Junkertown. They lead him to the central room ushering him to a corner before they blocked the exits with their own bodies.

“So can ya talk or ya just choose not to?” They both remained silent. His amber coloured eyes studied them. The larger one was male, his arms were bare and much more hairier than he had seen any woman, the smaller one he had no idea. They were covered completely from head to toe, heavy clothing and armour in choice places, they had a sniper rifle slung over their shoulder and they seemed very blasé about the entire ordeal. “So she gonna pay ya handsomely? I assume I’m worth a pretty penny now days. How much she got on my head?”

They remained silent and Junkrat groaned, this was going to be a long boring kidnapping if they weren’t even going to talk to him. His fingers drummed across the floor, mesmerising and in tune with his thoughts. The old shack contained some stuff he could use if he could only get it without drawing attention to himself. They seemed to be completely ignoring him though, Junkrat reached out to grab an empty fuel canister in front of him, his metal fingers drumming on its surface. It was enough to catch his captors’ attention but not enough for them to confiscate it. They probably thought he was just trying to amuse himself and if he could play off his obsessive neurosis then maybe he could build a bomb right in front of the without them being the wiser. 

“You guys kill the fat bastard I was with?” They didn’t answer him verbally but the big one looked to his counterpart, shrugged then shook his head in no. “Oh? Then you don’t know who I am do you? Just a couple of bounty hunters who thought they could grab a quick buck by handin’ me in to the Queen. Seriously though I’m gonna go nuts, what does she think I’ve done now? Far as I knew the Enforcers deserved every bit of destruction they got. Fuckin’ kidnap me and knock some of my teeth out. Seriously the place needed a reshuffle anyway, skewered view the lot of them.”

Junkrat looked at their masked faces but neither of them said a word and he physically groaned and threw himself on his back on the dirty floor. Some of the scraps fell from his pockets and he waited for them to say something, anything, but they remained silent. After a few minutes Junkrat began to arrange his scrap into different little categories, nails in one pile, screws in another, shrapnel cast to his side. He risked getting up to fish some more junk from the other side of the room, they didn’t do anything but watch him, strangely enough. So Junkrat continued. He got up when he needed a new part, he separated and tinkered and rattled scrap around in the drum canister all to appear as if he was just trying to keep himself amused. The crazed Junker also spoke to himself the entire time, made sure his captors just assumed he was crazy, not that there was a plan and he was so close, he just needed something he could use as fuel. 

The Junker stopped his tinkering for a moment, he watched as the smaller bounty hunter as they jumped slightly in surprise. They looked to something flashing on their wrist before crossing the room to their larger counter part. They whispered a few words, in english but with a thick accent Junkrat had never heard before, feminine and old by the sounds of it, before they ducked out of the shack and into the bright day outside. Junkrat wondered if they would be moving again soon, but if they did and he hadn’t finished then he was going to be in deep shit. There was no way they would let him bring his creation onto the van. Junkrat also wasn’t stupid enough to ignite a bomb in a small enclosed space where he would be facing certain death. He liked him self a little too much to risk his own life with such a daring stunt. A breath hitched in his throat that he tried to smother with a nervous giggle as he muttered to himself. He needed to finish this and he needed to get out of here right now.

"Looks like you're all mine kiddo. Partner just opted out of their half." The larger one spoke but didn't move from the doorway.

Only one. This was going to be so much easier.

******

Roadhog watched the place from a distance, there didn’t seem to be anyone coming or going and the van remained a black spot against the red dirt, a reminder that neither bounty hunter had left and Junkrat was probably still tied up inside and swearing up a storm. Roadhog didn’t know a few things; one, how many kidnappers there were. Two, how armed were they and three, what condition was Junkrat in. If he looked anything like he did after his encounter with Baz then Roadhog wasn’t sure whether he would make these bounty hunters death quick and painless. A slow and tortured death seemed like the way to go. Roadhog shifted slightly in the heat, he could feel the sun burning on his back and the sweat dripping down his skin in an attempt to make his body cool. The Outback was approaching the most dangerous part of the day, the heat alone did more damage than any of the feral and misshapen animals could ever do. He had sheltered what part of his body he could under a rocky outcropping, the red stone was doing very little to alleviate the discomfort but he was going to have to move in soon if he hoped to get his charge back in one piece.

Junkrat was probably the most difficult body guarding gig he had ever had. Not that they came across trouble every day, but when they did the kid somehow always managed to get himself deep within the thick of the trouble. Just once Roadhog wanted the crazy bastard to be able to look after himself, to know that Junkrat could take on a threat without him having to always jump in and save his hide. Grumbling Roadhog went to take a step forward only to stop when he noticed a dark blot against the shed. Someone had emerged from the dwelling a small figure, clad in heavy and thick clothing. They headed for the van, jumping into the cab, starting the engine and taking off in a puff of red dirt. Roadhog was confused, had Junkrat been in the vehicle the entire time or was there more than one bounty hunter? It didn’t matter, the red cloud created the perfect cover for Roadhog to approach the shack without being too obvious against the bright Outback. 

There was a loud curse that echoed through the still dry air. The door to the old cattle station burst open and Junkrat came scuttling out moving quite quickly on a fake leg as he hobbled on the uneven surface. There was panic on his face before he noticed Roadhog’s large figure and he stopped, smiled, then there was panic. The hook went sailing towards his young charge, the kid smart enough to catch the chain and let Roadhog pull him towards his large bulk. Their bodies collided but Hog stood his ground looking down slightly at the slouched kid, happy to see there was no obvious scarring or bruising. 

“Quick come on Hoggie!” Junkrat wasted no time, grasping his body guard by the harness and luring him further away from the old run down shack. “We gotta move mate… might of over done it this time.” 

Roadhog caught on quickly and he noticed that the kid’s fingers were moving, that Junkrat was counting down the time until his plan was literally about to blow up. He shifted his weight, pulling Rat with him as he lead him towards the rocky outcropping to take shelter. There was a deep rumble, pebbles around them shifting before the sky lit up with a bright flash of light and then the sound of the explosion rattled Roadhog deep within his chest. He glared daggers at his charge who was beside him, feral grin on his pointed features and his fingers in his ears to deafen the sound. Once it seemed like everything had cleared, Hog nudged Junkrat next to him, raising a brow beneath his mask and grunting at him for an explanation.

“What? I told ya I can look after myself sometimes. I mean I might have over done it with that explosion huh? Didn’t really have much to work with but scraps and dumb luck so I miss calculated, it ain’t no big deal. They didn’t even tie me up Hoggie! Just let me wander around the place whilst they blocked the exit. Big fucker in there didn’t know what hit him… little one though, think they got away.” Roadhog nodded in agreement. “Ah-so ya saw ‘em? Never mind there’s always next time.”

“There won’t be a next time. You ain’t leavin’ my sight!” Roadhog grumbled as he stood slowly and left Rat to pick himself up. All he wanted was to have a few days where he didn’t have to worry about the kid. Was he eating? Was he sleeping? Had he been beaten to a bloody pulp? Hog was just lucky that this time the kid had managed to take care of himself without too much trouble. Junkrat’s uneven footing was behind him, close in fact that Hog could feel the body heat radiating off of him, he wanted to push him away but they were almost at the bike now, it was best to just let the kid have his sulking moment so Roadhog didn’t have to listen to him prattle the entire way back to camp. Although there wasn’t really precious resources left there, they were better off moving on. 

Roadhog shooed the roos away from his bike, he pulled it out from under the shade and let them have it, it was the only reason they had been crowding around before. Rat seemed a little skeptical of them but Roadhog was a large man and quite intimidating even to the local wildlife. He shifted onto the bike, the suspension lowering with his weight and Rat climbed into the side car strangely silent for a change. The engine rumbled to life, Roadhog veering the large bike onto the compacted dirt road, but instead of heading back to their would be camp he headed in the other direction. It took Junkrat six minutes before he realised they were no longer heading east. He scowled from the side car, grasped Hog’s arm and hoisted himself to stand precariously on the seat leaning towards the larger man.

“Where the fuck are we going?” He had to yell over the rumbling engine and howling wind. Fighting slightly before he let Roadhog's massive fist push him back down into the seat.

“Home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays guys.
> 
> A big thank you to Chocoelley and Namppa for the comments. Namppa, ThatDiamondOrca and FoxReactor for the kudos and all the lovely guests who left kudos anonymously.
> 
> Love you all and next update will be use exploring Roadhog and now Junkrat's home together.
> 
> Also if anyone can guess who the smaller bounty hunter is I'll give them a special shout out. Haven't made it too hard of course.


End file.
